We hear about sustainability a lot these days. But what does sustainability mean to peanut farmers?
To some peanut farmers, it’s taking care of their land for their future grandchildren or making sure they stay in business each year to feed their family and community. But in a nutshell, sustainability means enriching the land, our communities and people’s health.
Peanut farmers are stewards of the land so that the land can be sustainable for feeding future generations. They grow a nutritious and affordable food in a way that is better for the environment and supports economic well-being. But why grow peanuts?
- Peanuts are nature’s “zero-waste” plant. Everything from the roots to the hulls are utilized.
- Peanuts require less water and have the smallest carbon footprint of any nut. For example, it takes 3.2 gallons of water to grow one ounce of peanuts, but it takes more than 28.7 gallons to grow one ounce of almonds.
- Peanut plants have a unique ability to improve soil. They are nitrogen fixing, which means they take nitrogen from the air and produce their own in the ground, which benefits other crops.
Casey Cox — a millennial Georgia peanut farmer — gives us a glimpse into the daily life of peanut farming and how she works to make her land the most sustainable and efficient it can be. Peanut farmers, like Casey, are proud to say that America’s most popular nut is good for our health, our planet and our economy.
Peanuts are the crop of now.