Sustainable U.S. Peanuts:
The Sustainable U.S. Peanuts Initiative is the first of its kind, industry led and industry fed, peanut sustainability initiative. The initiative creates transparency that will serve the entire supply chain - from the people who love to grow peanuts, to the people who love to eat them.
The Sustainable U.S. Peanuts Initiative is the peanut industry supporting America’s peanut growers to help meet marketplace expectations, increase demand for peanuts and set the stage for long-term economic viability.
In its fourth year, the Sustainable U.S. Peanuts Initiative is supporting America’s peanut industry with metrics on the most efficient use of production resources, as well as encouraging farm operation sustainability practices that will help meet customer expectations, lead to increased demand for peanuts and set the stage for long-term economic viability.
The peanut industry has an incredible and evolving sustainability story to tell and the industry-supported Sustainable U.S. Peanuts Initiative is helping growers be part of the narrative.
Peanut Growers Sign Up Now: U.S. Peanut Sustainability
Why does it matter? U.S. Peanut Initiative Fact Sheet
Peanut general
Peanuts are one of the most sustainable crops around. Requiring only 3.2 gallons of water per ounce, compared to other nuts that require up to nine times as much water, peanuts are paving the way for a greener future. (Almonds use 28.7 gallons of water, pistachios use 23.6 gallons of water and walnuts use 26.7 gallons of water.)
Peanut farmers have a great sustainability story to tell. Not only have they cut greenhouse gas emissions in half during the last two decades, but peanuts have the smallest carbon footprint of any nut.
Peanuts are a zero-waste crop since all parts of the plant are utilized. Everything from the roots to the shells are used for animal feed, to fuel, and more.
Preserving and protecting our natural resources has always been, and will always be, a priority in every aspect of peanut production. From minimal water usage to a low carbon footprint, peanut farmers are caring for our environment every day.
U.S. peanut farmers are family farmers and have been entrusted to care for the land that generations of their family protected before them. Their sustainability practices continue that heritage, but also make good business sense as they lead to economic viability for future generations.
New peanut varieties in the pipeline are expected to have a huge impact on peanut sustainability due to high levels of resistance to various peanut diseases, which should greatly reduce the need for sprays and decrease trips across the field for growers.
The U.S. peanut industry understands that sustainability is the future. America’s 7,000 peanut-farming families, and the industry that supports them, are committed to growing a nutritious, sustainable crop for generations to come.