From creamy to crunchy, thousands of jars of peanut butter are making their way into Florida homes, thanks to the generosity of residents statewide, who rallied behind this year’s Peanut Butter Challenge — feeding families one jar at a time.
All those jars add up to 44,564 pounds of peanut butter, and every ounce counts, said Kevin Camm, director of the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) Extension Orange County.
“Sometimes the smallest gift (a single jar of peanut butter) is exactly what makes a family’s dinner table possible,” Camm said. “It costs little, and it can fill a cupboard and warm a home during the holidays. That simple act of giving becomes real food, hope and comfort for someone who needs it.”
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The challenge is a collaborative effort of the Florida Cooperative Extension Service, with support from the Florida Peanut Federation, the Florida Peanut Producers Association and community partners throughout the state.
UF/IFAS Extension offices in the Panhandle launched the competition in 2012 to provide hungry residents with shelf-stable, protein-rich food before the winter holidays.
This year the challenge was in October, while some counties extended their collection deadline into November. During that time, 37 of Florida’s 67 counties participated, along with Florida A&M University and the UF College of Agricultural and Life Sciences.
Here are some more numbers for perspective on the Peanut Butter Challenge:
• The 44,564 pounds collected statewide exceeds last year’s total by about 5,000 pounds and is enough to feed 10,128 people, based on the average U.S. consumption of 4.4 pounds per person.
• Since 2020, participants have donated 212,860 pounds statewide.
Some counties participate in friendly competitions with each other over who can get their residents to donate the most peanut butter.
This year, Orange County residents gave the most peanut butter by weight at 5,186 pounds. Escambia led by number of jars -- 4,214.
Camm commended the spirit of giving in his and other counties for the success of the Peanut Butter Challenge.
“What started as awareness and friendly competition quickly grew into a full-community effort, with volunteers, 4-H, FFA, the Florida Farm Bureau and local leaders all pitching in,” Camm said. “That’s why this challenge works across so many counties and continues to grow stronger every year. By keeping things simple, we’re able to create momentum and excitement and turn a few jars of peanut butter into real hope for hungry families.”
Nick Simmons, director of UF/IFAS Extension Escambia County, credited part of his county’s success to contacting new community and faith-based organizations that wanted to participate in the challenge.
“These new partners far exceeded our expectations, with one site collecting over 900 jars,” Simmons said. “Escambia County Farm Bureau made a very generous contribution, donating an entire pallet of peanut butter, which equals over 1,400 jars.”
UF/IFAS Extension Escambia also created a promotional video with the Escambia County Sherriff’s Office, encouraging citizens to “Spread the love -- and the peanut butter.” They shared the video on their social media.
Simmons commended other groups, saying “4-H clubs, local school organizations and churches stepped up this year to help fight hunger in our community.”
ABOUT UF/IFAS
The mission of the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) is to develop knowledge relevant to agricultural, human and natural resources and to make that knowledge available to sustain and enhance the quality of human life. With more than a dozen research facilities, 67 county Extension offices, and award-winning students and faculty in the UF College of Agricultural and Life Sciences, UF/IFAS brings science-based solutions to the state’s agricultural and natural resources industries, and all Florida residents.
