Jimmy Miller of Snead in Blount County won the 2018 Farm Press Peanut Efficiency Award for the Lower Southeast States. He was honored for growing high-yielding peanuts on topographically challenging dryland fields.

Keith Gray will serve as chief of staff for the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Risk Management Agency. The Tallassee native was formerly the Alabama Farmers Federation’s National Affairs director.

Mike Phillips was named Auburn University College of Agriculture’s associate dean for Extension, effective Aug. 15. He is also assistant director for agriculture, forestry and natural resource Extension programs.

Cam Humphrey and Colton Perdue joined the Alabama Farmers Federation as interns. Humphrey worked on ag policy through Aug. 10, while Perdue will work on broadcast projects through the annual meeting in December.