Ryan Jenkins knows how to ‘grow’ peanut M&Ms straight out of his Florida fields. But we’ll get back to that. For being an excellent example of a successful peanut farmer, Jenkins — along with his family — is the 2023 Farm Press Peanut Efficiency Award winner for the lower Southeast. 

Ryan, 49, is married to Debra, who is the assistant administrator at the local hospital. They have two sons, Cole and Chase. In Jay, Fla., about 50 miles north of Pensacola, Jenkins farms in partnership with his dad, Rennie, who retired from the local school system many years ago. Ryan’s son Chase works the farm with them. Chase is also making a name for himself regionally as an up-and-coming stock car driver. Cole recently graduated Florida State University and is beginning a career in real estate but also works on the farm. 

“Both sets of grandparents were farmers, but both fell on hard times and had to give up farming. Even though they gave up the farming operations, they each kept their land and rented it out to other farmers,” Jenkins said. 

But Jenkins remained active in farming, working through high school for local farmers. In the mid-1990s, Jenkins rented 16 acres of family land and began his farming operation. Today, the Jenkinses farm 2,000 non-irrigated acres of peanuts, cotton, soybeans, corn, wheat and oats.

Related:Ryan Jenkins is 2023 lower Southeast peanut efficiency winner