How to Read the USDA Peanut Stocks and Processing Report — Farmer Stock Equivalent, Millings and Peanut Butter Use
U.S. off-farm peanut stocks: 2.44 billion pounds of farmer stock equivalent on Sept. 30, 2026; commercial processors used 183 million pounds of shelled edible-grade peanuts during September.
Key figures (Peanut Stocks and Processing, October 2026)
As of 30 October 2026, 01:57 KST; most recently published report: Peanut Stocks and Processing, released October 27, 2026, by the USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS), covering peanuts in U.S. commercial storage (not on farms) on September 30, 2026 and processing during September. The NASS October 2026 calendar lists the October 27 release at 3:00 pm ET; the publication page lists the next releases on November 25 and December 28, 2026, at 3:00 PM without a time zone. Primary source: https://esmis.nal.usda.gov/sites/default/release-files/796126/pnst1026.txt[1][2][3]
| Indicator (U.S. commercial storage and processing, 1,000 pounds; on-farm stocks excluded) | Previous (August 2026; stocks August 31) | Current (September 2026; stocks September 30) | Change vs previous | Change vs year ago (September 2025) | Evidence type |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total stocks, farmer stock equivalent | 2,859,757 | 2,439,423 | -420,334 (this page's subtraction) | +422,503 from 2,016,920 (this page's subtraction) | levels: USDA NASS primary statistical record (U.S. tables); differences: this page's subtraction |
| Farmer stock (unshelled) | 1,953,688 | 1,574,550 | -379,138 | +358,834 from 1,215,716 | levels: USDA NASS primary statistical record (U.S. tables); differences: this page's subtraction |
| Shelled edible grade stocks | 626,239 | 592,544 | -33,695 | +45,831 from 546,713 | levels: USDA NASS primary statistical record (U.S. tables); differences: this page's subtraction |
| Farmer stock milled during the month | 439,638 | 415,904 | -23,734 | -4,602 from 420,506 | levels: USDA NASS primary statistical record (U.S. tables); differences: this page's subtraction |
| Edible grades used in products during the month | 192,091 | 182,839 | -9,252 | -7,115 from 189,954 | levels: USDA NASS primary statistical record (U.S. tables); differences: this page's subtraction |
| Of which peanut butter | 122,701 | 112,919 | -9,782 | -811 from 113,730 | levels: USDA NASS primary statistical record (U.S. tables); differences: this page's subtraction |
Comparison basis: levels are as published in thousands of pounds; the report's tables print levels only, so all differences here are this page's subtraction. The text gives the same figures rounded (for example 2.44 billion pounds). "Stocks estimates refer to September 30, 2026." "All other data are for the month of September." The release, publication page and calendar are all from USDA and count as one source.[1]
In three lines
1. The monthly NASS report counts peanuts held by U.S. commercial handlers at month end and what was milled, crushed and used in products during the month.
2. Stocks on September 30, 2026 were 2.44 billion pounds of farmer stock equivalent, up from 2.02 billion a year earlier, while edible-grade use was 183 million pounds in September.
3. The next reports are listed for November 25 and December 28, 2026.[1][2]
What the report counts (in NASS's words)
"Peanut stocks reported in commercial storage on September 30, 2026 totaled 2.44 billion pounds of equivalent farmer stock, compared with 2.02 billion pounds a year ago." "This total includes 1.57 billion pounds of actual farmer stock." "Millings in September totaled 416 million pounds." "Commercial processors utilized 183 million pounds of shelled edible grade peanuts during September."[1]
Coverage. "Peanut stocks are a census of all known cleaners, shellers, crushers, warehouses, cold storage plants, and processors of peanuts who handle more than 30,000 pounds annually." "Since a complete report is not always received from all facilities, estimates are made for missing facilities to assure complete coverage." Stocks on farms are excluded.[1]
Reading in pairs
Farmer stock vs farmer stock equivalent. The total combines unshelled and shelled peanuts using the table footnote formula: "Farmer stock + roasting stock + (actual shelled peanuts X 1.33)." For September 30, 2026: 1,574,550 + 38,347 + 621,448 × 1.33 (826,525.84, shown as 826,526) = 2,439,423 thousand pounds (this page's check of the published total).[1]
Stocks vs flows. Stocks are a snapshot on the last day of the month; millings, crushings and product use are totals for the month. From August 31 to September 30, 2026, farmer stock fell 379,138 thousand pounds while 415,904 thousand pounds were milled in September; the report does not reconcile the two.[1]
Month vs season to date. The headline compares the marketing year to date: edible grades used in products totaled 374,930 thousand pounds in August-September 2026 against 391,506 a year earlier, 95.8% (this page's calculation), which the release headlines as down 4 percent.[1]
Revisions. "Peanut stocks are subject to revision at any time during the marketing year." "Once the marketing year ends, no revisions can be made to the previous marketing year." The report gives no statistical error measure; it describes non-sampling errors that cannot be measured directly.[1]
Verified facts
Each fact is labelled with its evidence typeEach fact in this section carries its evidence type — either cross-checked against independent sources, or confirmed from a single authoritative record.
U.S. peanut stocks in commercial storage totaled 2.44 billion pounds of farmer stock equivalent on September 30, 2026, against 2.02 billion pounds a year earlier.[1] 1 source · authoritative record
U.S. commercial processors used 183 million pounds of shelled edible grade peanuts in September 2026, including 113 million pounds for peanut butter products.[1] 1 source · authoritative record
U.S. peanut millings totaled 416 million pounds in September 2026.[1] 1 source · authoritative record
Season-to-date use of shelled edible grade peanuts in August-September 2026 was down 4 percent from a year earlier, according to the release headline.[1] 1 source · authoritative record
The USDA publication page lists the next Peanut Stocks and Processing releases on November 25 and December 28, 2026.[2] 1 source · authoritative record
Statements and readings
Not counted as facts — each item shows what kind of statement it isFrom here on: statements not counted as facts — single-source reports, the issuing body’s own statements, and this page’s own readings, each labeled.
The September 30, 2026 farmer stock equivalent total of 2,439,423 thousand pounds equals 1,574,550 (farmer stock) plus 38,347 (roasting stock) plus 621,448 shelled times 1.33.[1] This page’s own calculation or reading · This page's check of the footnote formula
Edible grades used in products in August-September 2026 (374,930 thousand pounds) were 95.8% of the same months of 2025 (391,506 thousand pounds).[1] This page’s own calculation or reading · This page's calculation from the season-to-date table
Timeline
What this page could not establish
These are questions this page tried to answer and could not. The gaps are left open rather than filled with a guess.- Why were September 30, 2026 stocks 422,503 thousand pounds above a year earlier?
- How much will September 2026 stocks be revised?
- Model
- claude-opus-5
- Time
- 10/30/2026, 02:00
- Body characters
- 4,866
- Sources
- 3 sources adopted
- Model
- ChatGPT (checked sources on the web)
- Time
- 10/30/2026, 02:04
- Verdict
- Revision required
Show revision history (3)
| 10/30/2026, 09:00 | First authored (claude-opus-5) | Created |
| 10/30/2026 | First version. Read in full the USDA NASS Peanut Stocks and Processing text release of October 27, 2026, including all stocks, milling, production, crushing, disappearance, product-use, feeding-program and seed tables and the methodology, plus the publication page and the NASS October 2026 release calendar; quotations are complete sentences matched against the source text. | Updated |
| 10/30/2026 | Revised after review: the summary states the September 30 stocks in farmer stock equivalent and that commercial processors used 183 million pounds of shelled edible-grade peanuts during September; the peanut butter FAQ asks about peanuts used for peanut butter products, not peanut butter produced. | Updated |
Frequently asked
How many peanuts were in U.S. commercial storage on September 30, 2026?
2.44 billion pounds of farmer stock equivalent, up from 2.02 billion pounds a year earlier, according to the NASS report of October 27, 2026; on-farm stocks are excluded.[1]
How many pounds of shelled edible-grade peanuts were used for peanut butter products in the United States in September 2026?
113 million pounds (112,919 thousand) of shelled edible grade peanuts, out of 183 million pounds used in all products.[1]
What does farmer stock equivalent mean in the September 2026 U.S. peanut report?
It adds farmer stock, roasting stock and shelled peanuts multiplied by 1.33; for September 30, 2026 that gives 2,439,423 thousand pounds.[1]
Are U.S. on-farm peanut stocks included in the September 2026 report?
No: the September 2026 stocks cover commercial handlers of more than 30,000 pounds a year and exclude stocks on farms.[1]
Could the September 2026 U.S. peanut stocks be revised?
Yes, the September 2026 stocks are subject to revision at any time during the marketing year; no revisions are made after the marketing year ends.[1]
Is U.S. peanut use for August-September 2026 up or down from 2025?
Down 4 percent for shelled edible grades, per the release headline; the table gives 374,930 thousand pounds against 391,506.[1]