Peanuts are grown in warm climates and are native to the Western Hemisphere. In the United States, peanuts are grown in Georgia, Florida, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Virginia, North Carolina, Texas and Alabama. The United States is not the only country that grows peanuts. They are also grown in India, Nigeria, Brazil, Senegal, and China.

Georgia is one of the leading peanut producing states. Georgia farmers produce one third of the world's peanuts.

How Peanuts are Grown After the seeds are planted farmers need warm weather, and rain or irrigated water to produce a healthy plant. As the plants begin to grow, farmers must check the plants for diseases and insects. It takes between 130 to 150 days for the peanuts to mature enough to be harvested.

Harvest time is exciting. Farmers watch the weather closely and dig the peanuts carefully when the ground is soft, so the peanuts will not break off and be left in the soil. The peanut plants are gently pulled out of the ground and then turned up in rows to face the sun to dry. This is a very critical time when peanut farmers do not want to see rain. Rain can cause the peanut plant to be pushed back into the ground. This increases the chances for mold to grow on the peanuts.

Now farmers use machines for every part of their peanut farming. Machines called combines are used to go through the fields and separate the peanuts from the leafy plants. Large trailers carry the peanuts to warehouses to be dried, cleaned, and shelled. Storage bins, conveyor belts, blowers and electronic eyes speed this process. Special technicians are still necessary to operate equipment and to make sure the peanut is processed in the right way.

Once the peanut is dried, certified graders from the Department of Agriculture will grade it. The farmer hopes to receive a high grade, so he will be paid a premium price for the crop. The electronic eyes scan the peanuts and "sizing" machines separate the peanuts. Top quality whole peanuts will be used as certified seeds for next year's peanut crop or for food products. Split peanuts are sent to candy, oil, or peanut butter factories. The skins of the peanuts will be used to make oil or animal feed. Other companies in the area will buy the peanut hulls and use them for products such as cat litter, paper, or fertilizer. Even the peanut plant that was left in the field is a useful product. Farmers will plow the plant into the ground and let it decompose to replenish the soil, or bale it like hay and feed it to cattle and other livestock.

The next time you eat peanuts remember it is Georgia's official crop and an important part of Georgia's economy which supplies important products for your family.