The Seam announced today that Coastal Growers and Tifton Peanut Company have entered into multi-year agreements for its cloud-based, peanut management platform.
Owned by a cooperative of farmers, Coastal Growers is building a new 400,000-square-foot, state-of-the-art peanut shelling operation in Atmore, Alabama, slated for completion in 2022. State officials said the $87 million project will create more than 150 local jobs. Six buying point affiliate organizations will begin utilizing the platform beginning with the approaching harvest.
Tifton Peanut Company, which maintains five shelling, warehousing, buying point and seed treatment locations across Tifton, Georgia, has also signed on with The Seam for operations specific to plant number 4.
“Launched in 2016, our peanut platform has been transformational for shelling organizations, buying point businesses and peanut farmers,” said Mark Pryor, Chairman and CEO at The Seam. “We are delighted to have Coastal Growers and Tifton join our expanding ecosystem, and we look forward to collaborations that will drive greater efficiency and sustainability throughout their extended supply chains.”
The Seam’s platform provides document digitization, real-time data for decision making and embedded integrations with the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and Federal-State Inspection Service, among others. It delivers a digital hub for peanut organizations to interconnect with affiliate businesses and producers, providing the real-time status and value of stock, contracting, grading data integrations and logistics management.
“With an increased focus on food safety, agriculture sustainability and overall competitiveness, the U.S. peanut industry must look for new ways to tackle daily challenges while embracing innovative ways to drive efficiencies and profitability,” said Dirk Lindsey, CEO of Coastal Growers. “Our work with The Seam is a key part of the equation. Many of our farmers and buying points are already familiar with The Seam platform and its ease of use. We are looking forward to ongoing collaboration and many successful seasons together.”
Three new shelling plants have launched in the United States over the past seven years, all of which are using The Seam’s peanut platform. In addition to Coastal Growers, Premium Peanut of Douglas, Georgia, formed in 2014, recently renewed its multi-year agreement with The Seam, while Delta Peanut of Jonesboro, Arkansas, joined in 2020. Seven shelling organizations are now on the platform.