Protein to feed a family: It’s time for the annual Peanut Butter Challenge

Spread the word – or in this case, the peanut butter. The 14th annual Peanut Butter Challenge gives people across the state a chance to donate jars of the protein-packed spread to hungry Floridians.

Donations will be accepted at local Extension offices from Sept. 29 through Nov. 24.

Agents and volunteers with the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences Extension (UF/IFAS) and Florida A&M encourage residents to participate.

Jars of any size and variety are welcome, but they must be new, sealed and not expired.

Last year, hurricanes Debby, Helene and Milton strained the state’s food pantries, so Floridians stepped up to help through the Peanut Butter Challenge. That led to an increase in donations.

In all, 40 of Florida’s 67 counties participated last year, and people donated 39,898 pounds of peanut butter, a 14,201-pound increase over 2023.

As they collect peanut butter, Extension agents from various counties challenge each other in a friendly competition to see who can collect the most peanut butter. Last year, Orange County collected the most peanut butter, with a total of 5,065 pounds. That’s a new record for a single county.

“I think that the energy from the county Extension offices has definitely ramped up,” said Kevin Camm, director of UF/IFAS Extension Orange County. “I definitely think (statewide) we will be well above 40,000 pounds – quite possibly 45,000 pounds.”

Regardless of the quantity donated, the challenge is a great initiative, Camm said.

“At the end of the day, every jar collected means a family has food on the shelf that is nutritious to eat,” he said. “That is the real impact of this collaborative effort.”

The Peanut Butter Challenge unites the Florida Cooperative Extension Service with the the Florida Peanut Federation (FPF), the Florida Peanut Producers Association (FPPA) and community partners throughout the state.

UF/IFAS Extension offices in the Panhandle launched the competition in 2012 to provide hungry residents with a shelf-stable, protein-rich food before the winter holidays.

The challenge spread statewide in 2020 as the COVID-19 pandemic exacerbated food insecurity and increased demand for help from food banks. Matching donations from the Florida Peanut Producers Association (FPPA) and the Florida Peanut Federation (FPF) have helped the program increase donations year over year.

Peanuts are a major crop in Florida. In 2024, Florida’s peanut production totaled 550 million pounds, 5% more than in 2023, according to the Florida Agricultural Statistics Service (FASS). Peanuts contributed more than $137 million to the state economy, according to the FASS.

“Peanut butter is more than a staple — it’s a symbol of nourishment, comfort and hope,” said Laura Goss, executive director of the FPF. “At the Florida Peanut Federation, we are proud to support this annual challenge because we believe no child should go to bed hungry when we grow one of the most nutritious and shelf-stable foods right here in Florida. We commend the Extension offices, volunteers and community members who turn compassion into action by helping fuel a future, one jar at a time.”

For more information about drop-off locations and participation, visit sfyl.ifas.ufl.edu/peanutbutter.