structural:scholar_edition, structural:summarization
North America

The state of Georgia leads the United States in peanut production, with 49 percent of the nation's peanut acreage and output. In 2014, farmers cultivated 591,000 acres of peanuts, yielding of 2.4 billion pounds. The most famous peanut farmer was Jimmy Carter of Sumter County, Georgia who became U.S. president in 1976.

In the United States and Canada, peanuts are used in candies, cakes, cookies, and other sweets. Individually, they are eaten dry-roasted with or without salt. Ninety-five percent of Canadians eat peanuts or peanut butter, with the average consumption of 3 kilograms (6 + 1 ⁄ 2 lb) of peanuts per person annually, and 79% of Canadians consume peanut butter weekly. In the United States, peanuts and peanut butter are central to American dietary practices, and are typically considered as comfort foods. Peanuts were sold at fairs or by pushcart operators through the 19th century. Peanut butter is a common peanut-based food, representing half of the American total peanut consumption and $850 million in annual retail sales. Peanut soup is found on restaurant menus in the southeastern states. In some southern portions of the US, peanuts are boiled for several hours until soft and moist. Peanuts are also deep-fried, sometimes within the shell. Per person, Americans eat 2.7 kg (6 lb) of peanut products annually, spending a total of $2 billion in peanut retail purchases.