Runners weren’t the only ones taking part in the fourth annual National Marathon… the event also brought out local peanut farmers who are racing to rebuild consumer confidence in their products.

Jessica Forres was there…



[NAT: GET YOUR PEANUTS]

That’s Clarke Fox…a peanut grower in Virginia. He’s at the D-C armory passing out airplane size peanut bags.

I CAME OUT TO RAISE AWARENESS OF THE BENEFITS OF PEANUTS.

He says times have been tough since January when more than 2-thousand peanut products tested positive for Salmonella and they were all recalled.

THE MARKETPLACE ISN’T SUPPORTING THE PEANUT INDUSTRY RIGHT NOW BUT WE’RE HOPING FOR A QUICK TURN AROUND TO GET THIS THING BACK ROLLING AGAIN.

Marie Fenn, with the National Peanut Board hopes attending events such as the National Marathon… will do just that and rebuild consumer confidence.

MOSTLY WHAT WE’RE HEARING IS OH PEANUTS I LOVE PEANUTS…

Fenn says major national brands of jarred peanut butter were not among the products recalled.

_________

Peanut farmers are reaching out to marathon runners and their supporters in hopes of restoring consumer confidence in their products…

Jessica Forres reports…

Runners…taking part in the fourth annual National Marathon…are crossing the finish line at D-C’s armory.

[NAT: ANTHONY PERKINS]

They are being greeted by the customary race officials and someone they may not have expected, a peanut farmer from Virginia. Clarke Fox is passing out packets of peanuts. He hopes this little snack will wet their appetite for more. Fox says times have been tough this year after more than 2-thousand peanut products were recalled following a Salmonella outbreak.

WELL RIGHT NOW I’M COMMITTED TO GROWING ABOUT TWO-THIRDS OF WHAT I HAD PLANNED ON GROWING FOR THIS COMING YEAR.

Standing next to Fox, Marie Fenn with the National Peanut Board says their free samples seem to be working...

WE’VE HAD A FEW PEOPLE ASK QUESTIONS SO WE CAN HELP TO CLARIFY THAT PEANUT BUTTER SOLD IN THEIR GROCERY STORE AND IN THE JARS HAS NEVER BEEN IMPACTED BY THE RECALL.

Published reports have suggested jarred peanut butter sales decreased about 20 percent in January compared to the same time period last year.