Why It’s Critical We Act Now on Peanut Sustainability

Written by: Dan Ward

When someone asks what sustainability means to me, I pull out my phone and show them a photo of my two-year-old granddaughter, Blakely. In 20 to 25 years, I want Blakely to have the choice of becoming the ninth generation of our family to carry on our farm. For that to happen, I have to think about every decision I make today and ask whether it will help her have that opportunity. Most importantly, I have to make sure our farm remains productive and profitable so there is a farm for her to come back to if she chooses.

For peanut growers to remain productive and profitable, we have to increase demand for peanuts. One of the biggest drivers of demand is quickly becoming sustainability. Manufacturers are facing increasing consumer, investor, and regulatory expectations for sustainable farming practices, and we will have to prove and document the sustainability of U.S. peanut production.

We’re already seeing these expectations in export markets. Our trading partners are placing greater emphasis on sustainability, and our competitors are working hard to document and promote their own sustainability efforts. It would be unfortunate if U.S. growers were forced to accept lower contracts simply because competing countries could demonstrate sustainability while we could not.

Sustainability isn’t going away. It will only become more important with each passing year. Right now, growers have the opportunity to help shape the process. If we don’t act voluntarily, our industry could eventually face burdensome regulations or lose market share, much like other agricultural commodities have experienced.

That’s why I support the Sustainable U.S. Peanuts Initiative.

Now in its third crop enrollment year, Sustainable U.S. Peanuts (SUSP) is a voluntary, industry-wide initiative designed to help growers document sustainable farming practices while providing valuable information on the efficient use of on-farm resources. The program helps position our industry to meet customer expectations, strengthen demand for peanuts, and support the long-term economic viability of peanut farming.

Participation is straightforward. Growers complete a self-assessment questionnaire and field-level survey. All farm information remains completely confidential and is never shared with other growers, government agencies, or the industry. That privacy is an important part of the program and one that deserves repeating.

After the initial enrollment, growers simply update their information annually, making future participation much easier. If you’re already enrolled in the Cotton Trust Protocol, you can link that account with Sustainable U.S. Peanuts to streamline the enrollment process.

One of the strengths of SUSP is that it represents the entire U.S. peanut industry rather than individual states or regions. That means participation from growers across every peanut-producing area—from West Texas to Southeast Virginia—is essential. Every grower’s voice helps create a more accurate picture of the sustainability story of U.S. peanuts.

And it’s a story worth telling. Peanuts have one of the smallest carbon footprints of any nut. Ounce for ounce, they require significantly less water than tree nuts. Peanuts are a zero-waste crop because every part of the plant is utilized, and as a nitrogen-fixing crop they require less fertilizer than many other crops. We have an outstanding sustainability story, but it only benefits our industry if we can demonstrate it.

To me, success means ensuring the long-term economic viability of peanut growers while meeting the sustainability expectations of buyers, consumers, and trading partners. It means increasing demand for peanuts, both here at home and around the world, through a grower-driven approach rather than one imposed upon us.

Personally, success means leaving our family farm in the best possible condition for my granddaughter, Blakely. I want her to have the opportunity to become the ninth generation on our farm because we made good decisions today that created a business she can be proud to continue tomorrow.

Learn more about the Sustainable U.S. Peanuts Initiative and enroll your farm by visiting sustainableuspeanuts.org.

Dan Ward is a seventh-generation grower in southeastern North Carolina. He serves as President of the North Carolina Peanut Growers Association and Chair of the American Peanut Council’s Sustainability Committee.