Escambia's Peanut Butter Challenge Runs Through November 20 - and the County Has a State Title to Defend

Escambia County's friendliest title defense is underway, and it is measured in jars. UF/IFAS Escambia Extension's annual Peanut Butter Challenge is accepting donations through Friday, November 20 - unopened, unexpired peanut butter jars of any size, bound for local food pantries. The drive, coordinated by UF/IFAS Extension and Florida A&M University Cooperative Extension, is a friendly competition among Florida counties, and Escambia has a standard to defend: the county ranked first in the state in the 2025 challenge, collecting 4,214 jars.

'We're excited to participate in this year's Peanut Butter Challenge,' Escambia Extension Services Director Nick Simmons said in the county's announcement. 'Escambia County had incredible support from our community last year, and I hope to bring that same momentum to this year's challenge. We encourage everyone who can to participate and help spread the word about the importance of peanut butter for our local food banks.' Peanut butter was chosen for its nutritional value and long shelf life, and as a nod to Florida's peanut crop, which the county notes contributed over $168 million to the state's economy in 2025. The Florida Peanut Producers Association and the Florida Peanut Federation add their own contributions to the totals distributed to pantries.

Dropping off a jar is a short trip from most of the county. The county's list of Escambia sites includes Escambia County Administration at 221 Palafox Place, Fourth Floor; Escambia County Public Safety at 6575 North 'W' Street; the Escambia Extension Office at 3740 Stefani Road; Cordova Lanes at 2111 Airport Boulevard; Epps Christian Center at 2300 North Pace Boulevard; Farm Bureau Insurance at 153 FL-97; Holy Spirit Catholic Church at 10650 Gulf Beach Highway; and the Molino Library at 6450-A Highway 95A, among other listed locations. Questions go to Escambia Extension at 850-475-5230. The challenge closes November 20 - three weeks, one jar at a time, against the rest of Florida.