UF/IFAS 2019 Peanut Butter Challenge a success
With 1,296 jars of peanut butter for a total weight of 2,431 pounds, the 2019 Peanut Butter Challenge was a success thanks to the partnership between UF/IFAS Extension, the Florida Peanut Producers Association, the Florida Peanut Federation and local support. The Florida Peanut Producers Association and Florida Peanut Federation contributed an additional 1,776 one-pound jars of peanut butter to Santa Rosa County. Local organizations and businesses that supported this effort include:
Santa Rosa County staff in all offices and libraries
Pensacola State College biology students
West Florida Research and Education Center
Aylstock, Witkin, Kreis and Overholtz
Milton High School Student Government Association and Beta Club
TR Jackson Pre-K
Combat Veterans Motorcycle Association of Milton
St. Mary’s Episcopal Church
Blackwater Pyrates
City of Milton
Peanut butter was distributed to 400 families during the Farm to City event in Milton and to various food pantries such as: Caring and Sharing of South Santa Rosa, Food Raising Friends, Family Promise of Milton, the Santa Rosa County Senior Nutrition program, St. Rosa Lima food pantry and For the Children of Milton.
Since 2012, UF/IFAS Extension Northwest District agents have organized the Peanut Butter Challenge. The challenge is a food collection drive of peanut butter from within each of the 16 UF/IFAS Extension Northwest District counties. In addition to what is collected locally, Ken Barton, Executive Director of the Florida Peanut Producers Association, and Laura Fowler Goss, Executive Director of the Florida Peanut Federation with the support of both respective board of directors, provide a generous peanut butter match to be divided between the counties. All the peanut butter collected from each county plus the jars donated by the peanut commodity groups is given to local food pantries. Not only does the Peanut Butter Challenge help publicize the important contribution of north Florida’s peanut growers to the peanut industry of Florida, but it also helps provide a healthy and universally loved product, made from a locally grown product, to food pantries in northwest Florida counties from Pensacola to Monticello.
For more information, contact Chris Verlinde or Mary Salinas at 850-623-3868.
