Peanut Butter Demand Higher and Specialty Crop Relief Funds
From the Ag Information Network, I’m Bob Larson with your Agribusiness Update.
**U.S. consumers are eating more peanut butter, which accounts for more than 60% of all peanuts consumed in the U.S., increasingly seen as a low-cost source of protein.
USDA’s National Ag Statistics Service Peanut Stocks and Processing Report shows peanut butter consumption is 6% over average during the previous ten years, while other peanut products declined.
U.S. peanut production reached a record 6.5 billion pounds in 2024-25, 25% higher than 2014-15.
**The United Nations says a diplomatic push is growing for a U.N.-led proposal to ensure safe passage for fertilizer through the Strait of Hormuz.
A source familiar with the discussions told Reuters the talks are emphasizing the growing urgency due to worldwide shortages.
Seven weeks of fighting in Iran have upended global supply chains as a more than 90% drop in tanker traffic through the Strait is threatening agricultural production and food security.
**USDA announced a major increase in funding for specialty crop programs, with more than $275 million in grants available for 2026.
Ag Secretary Brooke Rollins says funding will be distributed through key USDA programs, including the Specialty Crop Research Initiative, Crop Block Grant, and Multi-State Programs.
The increase is made possible through the Working Families Tax Cuts, which more than doubles annual funding for the Specialty Crop Research Initiative to $175 million.
