In 2006, Florida ranked 4th nationally in peanut production with a crop value of approximately $52 million 1. The southeast is the largest peanut production region in the U.S., with Florida producing approximately 9 percent of the total national crop in 2006 1. A total of 130,000 acres of peanut were planted during the 2006 production season in Florida. Of this acreage, approximately 120,000 acres were harvested, with an average yield of approximately 2,500 pounds per acre. The remaining 10,000 acres planted to peanuts were either harvested as green nuts, cut for hay, used as pasture, or abandoned. A total of 300 million pounds of peanuts were produced in 2006. Approximately 110,000 acres of peanut were planted in Florida in 2007 1,2. Pest management makes up a large portion of the variable production costs for peanut. Estimated total crop production costs for 2006 were approximately $825 per acre, based on a 2,500 pound per acre yield in the southeastern United States, which equates to a unit cost of 33 cents per pound. About onethird of the total operating costs are invested in pesticides and sprayingscouting. This contrasts greatly with the 2006 price per unit which was a little over 17 cents a pound 1,3.

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