GAINESVILLE, FL (352today.com) – That’s right—it’s almost Peanut Butter Challenge time here in the Sunshine State!
If you—like most people we polled in the office—are unfamiliar with this charitable friendly competition between Florida’s counties, allow us to break it down for you.
Back in 2012, the University of Florida/IFAS Extension and Florida A&M University Cooperative Extension got together to start this contest-slash-food drive in the Panhandle. Residents across the region donated unopened, unexpired jars of peanut butter, and at the end of the competition’s duration, all that peanut better was tallied, tagged and given to local food pantries for the holiday season, and the county that had donated the most peanut butter won bragging rights.
(They also, you know, helped feed a bunch of people in need.)
In 2012, the annual competition went statewide, with the blessing of the Forida Peanut Federation–did you know that Florida ranks third in the nation in peanut production? So, a whole lot of that donated peanut butter was produced right here, making it locally beneficial on yet another level.
Last year, the Peanut Butter Challenge collected 44,564 pounds of peanut butter, and Polk County won by collectively donating 1,844 jars.
This year’s challenge runs from September 30 through Halloween 2026. Residents of all 67 Florida counties can donate at their county’s local UF/IFAS Extension (which you can find here); many counties also create donation points at libraries or other public buildings and announce them on social media.
Some counties also allow donation of other items such as almond butter, in deference to those with peanut allergies.
Think your county can beat 1,844 jars, or 2,661 pounds? Better grab the shopping cart instead of the handbasket.