How do you like your PB&J?

Since March is National Peanut Month, Southern Peanut Growers (SPG) is celebrating with “PB&J My Way,” a national recipe contest looking for nutty new takes on the classic PB&J. For every peanut butter sandwich recipe received, SPG will donate a jar of peanut butter to hunger relief organization Feeding America.

No matter how you slice it, the PB&J is a classic. In a recent poll by SheSpeaks.com, nearly 50 percent of respondents said they opt for the traditional PB&J; 10 percent favor peanut butter and honey; 13 percent are with The King (Elvis, of course), making their peanut butter sandwich with bananas; and another 13 percent just reach for the jar, enjoying peanut butter sans the sandwich. The remaining 14 percent of respondents said their favorite peanut butter sandwich combo is unique to them – and those are the recipes “PB&J My Way” is seeking!

Easy to make and eat, a peanut butter sandwich has countless variations. Tell SPG what “PB&J My Way” means to you, and the organization will donate one jar of peanut butter to Feeding America for each recipe submitted, up to 4,000 jars. Feeding America is the nation’s leading domestic hunger relief charity, providing assistance through a nationwide network of food banks.

The top ten creative peanut butter sandwich recipes will also win enough peanut butter to enjoy for an entire year – that’s one case for each of the best recipes – and they will also be featured on www.peanutbutterlovers.com.

Click here to enter your favorite peanut butter sandwich recipe.

The nation’s peanut industry is helping out the relief effort in Haiti by donating high protein peanut butter and you can support that effort with your own donations. Peanut butter is especially good for emergency situations like this because it’s a great source of nourishment that needs no refrigeration.

The peanut industry has already donated $108,500 in contributions and four truckloads of peanut butter have been shipped so far totaling nearly three million servings. The peanut butter is being delivered to families in Haiti through Operation Blessing, Catholic Relief Services and Food for the Poor.

Donations can be sent to: EC 2055 – PB for Haiti P.O. Box 725 Blakely, GA 39823

Make checks payable to Early County 2055 and note on check: PB for Haiti. All donations are tax deductible and you will receive a letter acknowledging the donation.

Find out more on-line here from the Georgia Peanut Commission.

The Georgia peanut industry donated another 14,112 jars of peanut butter today in celebration of Hunger Action Month in September. This donation was made to the Middle Georgia Community Food Bank.

“We are very appreciative of all the donations and efforts that have made this donation come to fruition. This donation will supply needed food protein to thousands of households fending off hunger,” says Ronald Raleigh, executive director of the Middle Georgia Community Food Bank. “We serve a population of needy seniors, families and children in middle Georgia, and we’ve found that everyone loves peanut butter regardless of their age, gender or ethnicity.”

The donation was made by the Georgia Peanut Commission, National Peanut Buying Points Association, American Peanut Shellers Association and Georgia Farm Bureau along with fourteen other individuals, organizations and businesses.

You can watch part of the presentation on the GPC YouTube channel:

The Georgia peanut industry helped to fill the coffers of the state’s food banks – and the stomachs of hungry children – with a hefty donation this week.

In honor of Hunger Action Month, representatives from the Georgia Peanut Commission, National Peanut Buying Points Association, American Peanut Shellers Association and Georgia Farm Bureau along with fourteen other individuals, organizations and businesses donated 28,224 jars of peanut butter to the Food Bank of Southwest Georgia. That’s enough peanut butter to make 350,000 sandwiches!

“Peanut butter is an excellent source of protein and an ideal item to have in our pantries because adults and kids alike can make a quick meal or snack out of it,” said Brett Kirkland, president of the Food Bank of Southwest Georgia. “Thanks to the peanut industry and the donors of this project, this large donation of peanut butter will help us and our 300 partner agencies continue to distribute high-quality, easy-to- prepare food to those in need of food assistance.”

The Food Bank of Southwest Georgia serves 20 counties throughout Southwest Georgia and partners with over 300 agencies to serve approximately 30,000 people each year, including 10,000 children. In the 20 county service area, there are 100,000 people living in poverty and 200,000 people at risk of being food insecure at some point during the year.

Read more from the Georgia Peanut Commission here.

See more photos here.

The Atlanta Motor Speedway is declaring Sunday, March 8, as “Georgia Peanut Farmer Appreciation Day” during the Kobalt Tools 500 NASCAR Sprint Cup race in recognition of Georgia’s official state crop.

It’s a show of support to Georgia-based peanut farmers who have been suffering due to the recent difficulties facing the industry, with the whole salmonella in peanut products problem.

The Georgia Peanut Commission will have a trackside billboard advertising Georgia peanuts, sampling opportunities on race day and a role in the Kobalt Tools 500 pre-race festivities. In addition, the Commission will have a sampling location and display in the Atlanta Motor Speedway Display Lot.

It is important to note here that the peanut industry is working closely with the Food and Drug Administration to address the salmonella issue and make sure that any tainted products are found and recalled. It is unfortunate that the actions of one company, the Peanut Corporation of America – which knowingly released a product with potential salmonella contamination into the food supply – is causing our good farmers to suffer. But – they will prevail and ultimately win this race. Go peanuts!!!