Sustainability & The Peanut Industry
In accordance with some of the new regulations regarding sustainable farming, we decided to look into the peanut industry to showcase how important (and easy) sustainable farming can be. Peanuts are one of the most widely consumed nuts in the world.
They're used in various cuisines, in desserts, and savory dishes. But how sustainable are peanuts? Here's what we found out.
Peanuts are Naturally Sustainable
The peanut crop is quite sufficient. It is a nitrogen-fixing rotation crop, so it's able to replenish the soil with essential nitrogen. So, use peanuts during crop rotation. You don't have to use a lot of fertilizers, leading to lesser emissions of greenhouse gases.
Peanuts also have a very light water footprint, along the lines of 4.7 gallons per ounce. This is largely due to their compact size and how their roots are shaped, making them very sustainable.
Every Part of a Peanut Can Be Used:
The American Peanut Council has been able to demonstrate that every part of a peanut can be used. For instance:
Pelletized peanuts can be used for animal feed and fuel
Peanut "hay" can be used as livestock feed or put back into the soil as a natural fertilizer
Peanut oil produces biodiesel
New Technologies Are Bound to Make it Better
So, to encourage sustainability and awareness about the peanut's carbon footprint, the American Peanut Council has created a task force to maximize the sustainability indicators of the peanut crop. This task force is assigned the development and improvement of sustainable peanuts.
It also aims to provide industry members with goals, tools, and support to incorporate sustainability in their business operations.
