History of Peanuts
American Peanut Council

The peanut, while grown in tropical and subtropical regions throughout the world, is native to the Western Hemisphere. It probably originated in South America and spread throughout the new World as Spanish explorers discovered the peanut’s versatility. When the Spaniards returned to Europe, peanuts went with them. Later, traders were responsible for spreading peanuts to Asia and Africa. The peanut made its way back to North America during the slave trading period. Although there were some commercial peanut farms in the U.S. during the 1700’s and 1800’s, peanuts were not extensively grown. This lack of interest in peanut farming is attributed to the fact that the peanut was regarded as food for the poor and because growing and harvesting techniques were slow and difficult. Until the Civil War, the peanut remained a regional food associated with the southern United States. 

After the Civil War, the demand for peanuts increased rapidly. By the end of the nineteenth century, the development of equipment for production, harvesting and shelling peanuts, as well as processing techniques, contributed to the expansion of the peanut industry. The new twentieth century labor-saving equipment resulted in a rapid demand for peanut oil, roasted and salted peanuts, peanut butter and confections. 

300 Uses 

Also associated with the expansion of the peanut industry is the research of George Washington Carver at Tuskegee Institute in Alabama at the turn of the century. The talented botanist recognized the intrinsic value of the peanut as a cash crop. Dr. Carver proposed that peanuts be planted as a rotation crop in the southeastern cotton-growing areas where the boll weevil insect threatened the region’s agricultural base. Not only did Dr. Carver contribute to changing the face of southern farming, but he also developed more than 300 uses for peanuts, mostly for industrial purposes. 

Early Legislative Action 

As peanut consumption continued to rise, the U.S. government instituted programs in 1934 to regulate the acreage, production and price of this food item. Federal government production controls were lifted during World War II to meet the heavy demand for fats and oils required for the U.S. war effort. Controls were re-established in 1949, and in 1977, a two-tier price support system was initiated. This system has subsequently been revised, most recently by the 1995 Farm Bill.