The Peanut Butter Challenge, UF/IFAS Extension’s annual jar collection for local food pantries that launched in the Florida Panhandle in 2012, is again spreading statewide this year. In 2021, citizens of Santa Rosa donated 1142 jars (1635 lbs.) of peanut butter to the SRC challenge. The 2022 challenge will run from October 1 through October 31, 2022.

If your business, civic or church organization is interested in collecting peanut butter to support the needs of the community. Please contact Libbie or Chris.

Current drop locations include (we will update additional locations on the SRC Facebook page):

• All SRC Libraries, Jay, Milton, Pace, Navarre, and Gulf Breeze
• UF/IFAS Extension Offices in Jay at 5259 Booker Lane and Milton, 6263 Dogwood Dr
• SRC Administration complexes at 6495 Caroline St, Milton, and the South-end Annex at

5841 Gulf Breeze Pkwy, Gulf Breeze

• SRC Clerk of Courts at 6495 Caroline St, Milton
• SRC Chamber of Commerce at 4315 Avalon Blvd, Milton
• SRC Visitors Center at 8543 Navarre Pkwy, Navarre
• Immanuel Baptist Church4187 Highway 90 Pace, (drop off will be in Admin. Office on Alba St.)
• Pace Water System4401 Woodbine Road, Pace
• Escambia River Electric Cooperative3425 Highway 4 Jay
• Cornerstone Christian Church 14047 Alabama Street Jay

According to the 2019 FDACS Agriculture by the Numbers report, in 2018, 71.1 million pounds of peanuts were produced in Santa Rosa County! Most of these peanuts ae used for peanut butter. The National Peanut Board reports that it takes about 540 peanuts to make a 12-ounce jar of peanut butter, and there are enough peanuts in one acre to make 35,000 peanut butter and jelly sandwiches.

In addition to the community donations, the Florida Peanut Producers Association (FPPA) and Florida Peanut Federation (FPF) have partnered with the project for years. These organizations are based in the northwest and northeast peanut-producing regions of the state and will again contribute to the totals distributed to food pantries in those regions.