All the makings of a peanut butter and jelly sandwich. (Tyler Jones, UF/IFAS)
OKALOOSA COUNTY, Fla. — The annual Peanut Butter Challenge, a statewide initiative to help local food banks and raise awareness of Florida’s peanut industry, returns this year on Sept. 30.
Spearheaded by UF/IFAS Extension and in partnership with Florida A&M University Cooperative Extension, the challenge invites Floridians to donate new, sealed jars of peanut butter to their county Extension offices through Oct. 31.
The Extension office in Okaloosa County is at 3098 Airport Road in Crestview, the extension office in Walton County is at 732 North 9th Street in DeFuniak Springs, and the extension office in Santa Rosa County is at 6263 Dogwood Drive in Milton.
The Peanut Butter Challenge began in 2012 in the Panhandle region and has since grown to include all of Florida. According to the Florida Agricultural Statistics Service, the competition helps to feed families ahead of the winter holidays while showcasing the importance of Florida’s peanut crop, which contributed over $137 million to the state’s economy in 2023.
Peanut butter, a non-perishable and protein-rich food, is one of the most sought-after items by food banks. Its broad appeal across age groups, particularly for children, makes it a staple donation item.
Rachel Pienta, a 4-H agent with UF/IFAS Extension Wakulla County, highlighted the importance of the food item.
“Peanut butter is a shelf-stable food that has broad appeal across age groups while being especially kid-friendly,” Ms Pienta said.
“A PB and J sandwich is a comforting, filling food item that provides protein in a delicious, easy-to-eat form.”
The challenge has consistently grown in size, thanks in part to the matching donations from the Florida Peanut Producers Association (FPPA) and the Florida Peanut Federation (FPF). The COVID-19 pandemic prompted the challenge to expand statewide in 2020 to address rising food insecurity.
Last year’s Peanut Butter Challenge saw the highest level of participation since 2020. Across 50 counties, residents and organizations collected a total of 27,769 pounds of peanut butter, enough to make approximately 440,000 peanut butter sandwiches.
In a friendly competition between UF/IFAS Extension offices, Santa Rosa County emerged victorious by collecting 1,970 jars, equivalent to 2,485 pounds of peanut butter.
Other top counties included Orange County, which gathered 2,311 pounds, and Wakulla County, which collected 1,612 pounds.
The Peanut Butter Challenge offers a simple yet impactful way for Florida residents to give back to their communities while supporting local agriculture. Donations of any size and variety of peanut butter are welcome, but they must be new, sealed, and unexpired.
For more information on how to participate and find drop-off locations, residents can visit the official challenge website at sfyl.ifas.ufl.edu/peanutbutter.
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