The Georgia Peanut Commission and Georgia Bankers Association will join forces Oct. 16-20, 2017, to promote the 41st annual Georgia Peanut Bank Week. Financial institutions and local banks across the state will offer a tribute to Georgia’s 3,400 peanut farm families and the sustainability they provide to Georgia’s state and local economies.
The 2017 theme, “Peanuts: Sustaining Georgia’s Rural Economy,” will showcase the sustainability peanuts provide on and off the farm, as well as highlight the fact Georgia peanuts contribute more than $1.3 billion annually to the state’s economy; a contribution that helps maintain Georgia’s largest industry: agriculture.
“We’re excited to continue Georgia Peanut Bank Week for the forty-first year and salute peanut farmers,” Armond Morris, chairman of the Georgia Peanut Commission said. “This promotion is a great way to highlight all peanuts have to offer our communities across the state.”
The annual promotion takes place during an opportune time of the year: peanut harvest. In 2016, Georgia peanuts were planted on more than 720,000 acres throughout Georgia and accounted for nearly 50 percent of peanut production in the United States. Peanuts were planted in more than 75 of Georgia’s 159 counties with an average yield of more than 3,900 pounds per acre.
The Georgia Peanut Commission invites everyone to visit a participating bank to show support for Georgia’s peanut farmers, as well as the banking industry. Peanuts, recipe cards, and other promotional material will be available during the week of Oct. 16-20 at participating financial institutions. For more information, visit the GPC website at www.gapeanuts.com.