NATIONAL PEANUT MONTH
Friday, March 18 — This is National Peanut Month — celebrating one of the nation’s favorite foods, and absolutely America’s favorite snack nut. They are enjoyed in many ways — roasted in the shell, used in salads and stir-fry recipes, in cookies and, of course, ground into peanut butter. The idea of honoring the peanut has been a monthlong observance since 1974.
George Washington Carver — “The Peanut Man”
African American scientist George Washington Carver is known for his work with peanuts. In 1920, Carver spoke at the United Peanut Association of America’s convention. He was such a success that the group decided to have him tell Congress about peanuts and the need for a tariff in January of 1921.
Americans eat an average of more than six pounds of shelled peanuts a year, about half in the form of peanut butter. American peanuts have a global customer base. In 2014, about $450 million worth were exported. Over 22 percent of that went to Canada, and nearly 18 percent to Mexico. At the other end of the scale, Australia imported only $4,600worth of American peanuts.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau and Biography
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