INDIANAPOLIS — From gum to toothpaste, mint is commonly used in various products across the globe.
To meet the world’s needs, farmers across the U.S. have been known to harvest tens of thousands of acres of mint a year. Data recorded by the United States Department of Agriculture indicates farmers across the country harvested 18,400 acres of spearmint and 47,200 acres of peppermint in 2019 alone.
The U.S. produces 70% of the world’s peppermint and spearmint supply, according to the Purdue University College of Agriculture.
Indiana is among the top mint-producing states in the U.S. Per the Indiana State Department of Agriculture, the Hoosier State ranks third and fourth nationally in the production of spearmint and peppermint, respectively. Indiana is fourth in the country in overall mint production.
Per Purdue University, Indiana farmers harvested 3,100 acres of spearmint and 5,500 acres of peppermint in 2021. Most of Indiana’s crop is distilled to make mint oil, which is used to flavor things like gum and candy.
According to the Purdue College of Agriculture, mint oil is intensely flavored. Just one pound of mint oil can be used to flavor approximately 40,000 sticks of gum.
About 90% of the mint the U.S. produces is used in gum and dental products. Per Purdue University, the other 10% of mint grown domestically is infused in candy, pharmaceuticals, liqueur, soaps and household cleaners.
Most of the mint grown in the Hoosier State comes from Northwest Indiana counties like LaPorte, St. Joseph, Elkhart, Marshall and Starke. The area’s “muck” soils are good for root growth in plants like peppermint, spearmint and Scotch spearmint because they are loosely textured and high in organic matter, according to Purdue University.
Mint played a significant role in the Town of Bremen’s evolution. Because the soil surrounding the town was suitable for mint production, Bremen helped northern Indiana earn a reputation as the “mint capital of the U.S.” According to the town’s website, Bremen still retains its nickname, “The Mint City.”
According to Washington State University, some of the country’s other top mint-producing states are Oregon, Idaho and Washington. WSU indicated that Washington ranks No. 1 in overall mint production.
The western states weren’t always the country’s top producers of mint. Since the late 1800s, Indiana, Wisconsin and Michigan have been key players in the U.S. mint industry, per Purdue University. A mint acreage boom in Oregon and Washington helped them surpass the level of the Midwest’s mint production by the 1950s.
Despite Indiana, Wisconsin and Michigan’s statuses in the mint industry, peppermint and Scotch spearmint acreage have declined in the Midwest. According to Purdue University, peppermint, Native and Scotch spearmint acreage declined by 15.2%, 41.5% and 46.2%, respectively, from 2021 to 2022. In 2022, the Midwest produced 604,000 pounds of mint oil.
Purdue University indicated the decline was the result of rising production costs, flatlined pricing and cheaper imported oil.
