What is the National Peanut Board?
The National Peanut Board (NPB) is your farmer-funded national research, promotion and education check-off program. Each of the 11 major peanut-producing states has a grower Board member and an alternate representative. These states include Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Mississippi, Missouri, North Carolina, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Texas and Virginia. One at-large Board member and alternate also represent all minor peanut-producing states. All Board members and alternates are peanut farmers who are nominated by their state producer organization and appointed by the Secretary of the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) for three-year terms.
Through the National Peanut Board, growers from across the United States come together to contribute to research and to promote USA-grown peanuts. There is strength in unity, and your National Peanut Board works together for the benefit of all peanut farmers.
What does the National Peanut Board do for growers?
Through a mandatory assessment levied at a rate of one percent (1%) of the price paid for all farmer stock peanuts sold, your Board builds consumer demand and consumption for USA-grown peanuts domestically and internationally. Your Board promotes the great taste, nutritional benefits and culinary versatility of peanuts through a focus on business building and a comprehensive program of marketing, advertising promotion and new product development. We also focus on production research to help advance the production of your crop.
How does the National Peanut Board work to lower production costs?
As farmers themselves, your Board members know that production research is critical for healthy and productive fields, reducing input and operating costs, tackling disease and pest issues, and developing new varieties. To date, through the Board, you have invested more than $48.5 million in more than 1,600 research projects designed to help improve efficiencies and lower costs.
How does the National Peanut Board address peanut allergy concerns?
The Board has a proactive program in place that allows NPB staff to quickly respond to school bans, media inaccuracies and food allergy questions. Effective food allergy management programs and trainings are essential to protect those who are peanut allergic while allowing the majority who are not allergic to enjoy the nutritious benefits of peanuts.
NPB works with a Food Allergy Education Advisory Council comprised of doctors, food allergy authorities, school and professional foodservice leaders and others with expertise in the issue. The Council serves as a resource to schools, restaurants, and manufacturers who are trying to help consumers who might have a peanut allergy. Since 2001, the Board has spent more than $36 million in food allergy research, outreach and education. NPB was a long-time supporter of the early introduction study LEAP and LEAP-On, which are the foundation of new guidelines from the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Disease. These new guidelines are expected to significantly reduce the prevalence of peanut allergy in the US.
For K-12 food service professionals, NPB experts and consultants regularly provide credible resources to decision makers in schools to help educate them about responsible food allergy management. In recent years, NPB has delivered dozens of presentations directly to school districts on the local and national levels.
NPB conducts presentations and trainings for large food service operators, manufacturers and others to help educate them about strategies for meeting customers’ needs without unnecessarily eliminating foods from their menus.
Two websites serve as key resources for answering questions about peanut allergies. PreventPeanutAllergies.org is designed to help parents take the first step to prevent their child from developing a peanut allergy with information about NIAID guidelines, tips on feeding peanut foods, and help to determine when a child may be at risk. PeanutAllergyFacts.org is an online resource for multiple audiences looking for evidence-based information regarding peanut allergy management, research and FAQs.
How does the National Peanut Board promote USA-grown peanuts domestically?
NPB’s business building efforts are strategically focused through partnerships to add new sales and retail channels and to increase peanut product offerings. This is accomplished with layered, innovative marketing, advertising, public relations and promotional efforts.
NPB works to stimulate new peanut product development by working directly with culinary, food service and retail professionals. As a result, new concepts for peanuts, peanut butter, peanut oil and peanut flour are continually appearing on menus and retail shelves across the country. In fact, according to retail data, the number of new peanut product introductions rose 102 percent from 2012-2016 (Mintel, Global New Products Database).
We also build relationships with university and college food service directors and departments across the nation, to reach more than three million new consumers each year, at locations where tens of thousands of meals are served daily.
In consumer advertising, NPB focuses on engaging a specific targeted audience who has the highest opportunity for growth in peanut consumption. We reach these consumers primarily through online and social media channels, creating relevant content that reignites their passion for America’s favorite nut.
Through media relations efforts, the Board generates hundreds of millions of additional consumer impressions of peanuts and peanut products in print, TV, radio and online with “earned media.” We focus on putting credible spokespeople in front of consumers and food influencers to talk about the nutritional benefits, culinary versatility and value of USA-grown peanuts.
How does the Board leverage grower promotional dollars?
By partnering with other organizations and commodity boards, NPB helps extend the reach of grower dollars. Working with other commodity boards and organizations, NPB develops and executes events and initiatives that are more relevant to consumers and media outlets across the nation.
In addition, NPB partners with national corporations and entertainment groups to showcase USA-grown peanuts during special programs and events, reaching millions of visitors annually.
Working with each state grower association, the Board extends the national promotion and advertising campaign to local communities to increase awareness of new peanut production research and to showcase innovative peanut products.
How does the National Peanut Board promote the health benefits of peanuts?
Through alliances with The Culinary Institute of America, the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Harvard Medical School and other institutions, your Board works to bring information to physicians, dietitians, leading chefs and menu developers about the health benefits of peanuts. Additionally, NPB cooperatively supports nutrition research and works directly with national media sources and third-party experts to drive awareness of the benefits of peanuts, peanut butter and peanut products to consumers.
How does the Board help increase exports of USA-grown peanuts?
We work collaboratively with the American Peanut Council to help create strategic goals and implement export initiatives and programs through the United Export Strategy (UES). The export program helps meet the growing demand for high-quality USA-grown peanuts and peanut products in top export markets. In addition, through the National Peanut Board’s Export Small Business Initiative, the Board seeks to bring more value-added, specialty products made with USA-grown peanuts to more affluent and growing markets across the world. These products help increase the perceived value of peanuts and help farmer-owned and small peanut and peanut product companies build their export business.
Can the National Peanut Board help me with farm policy?
No. Under strict oversight by USDA, NPB, along with other similar commodity research and program boards, is prohibited from lobbying and influencing regulation or legislation of any kind, as stipulated in the Peanut Promotion, Research and Information Order.
National Peanut Board Return on Investment Report (2019) by Dr. Harry Kaiser, Cornell University
Click here to meet your Board. Click here for the latest budget information and grower and industry communications.
The National Peanut Board’s Peanut Promotion, Research and Information Order can be accessed on the USDA Agricultural Marketing Services website, or can be downloaded here.