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Georgia peanut & blueberry commissions' leaders announced

by Compiled by Georgia Farm Bureau


Posted on Feb 17, 2021 at 0:00 AM


Armand Morris has been re-elected as chairman of the Georgia Peanut Commission (GPC) and Kevin Eason has been appointed to the Georgia Blueberry Commission.

Morris, a peanut farmer from Tifton, was elected chairman of the GPC during the monthly board meeting in January. This is Morris’ 20th term as chairman of the commission. He has previously served as chairman of the board in 1996 and 1997, 2003 and every year since 2005.

Other GPC officers elected during the board meeting include Joe Boddiford, Sylvania, Georgia, as vice chairman and Rodney Dawson, Hawkinsville, Georgia, as treasurer. Additional GPC board members are Tim Burch, Newton, Georgia, and Donald Chase, Oglethorpe, Georgia, who represent the commission’s District One and District Five, respectively. The peanut producing counties of Georgia are divided into five districts in which peanut farmers elect a representative to serve on the Georgia Peanut Commission board.

On Dec. 16, 2020, the Georgia Farm Bureau Federation conducted nomination meetings for board member positions in District One and District Three. Board members Tim Burch, Baker County farmer, and Joe Boddiford, Screven County farmer, were both re-elected without opposition and will serve for the next three years. Burch and Boddiford were sworn in during the January board meeting by Chief Judge Bill Reinhardt of the Tifton Judicial Circuit.

The GPC represents more than 4,500 peanut farm families in the state and conducts programs in the areas of research, promotion and education. For more information on the programs of the Georgia Peanut Commission, visit www.gapeanuts.com.

The Georgia Agriculture Commodity Commission Ex Officio Committee met on Feb. 4, 2021, to appoint Eason to fill the remainder of the term held on the Georgia Blueberry Commission by Russ Goodman. Eason is a blueberry grower and packer in Bacon County.

Goodman stepped down to focus on his responsibilities as Georgia state senator for District Eight and his farming operation.

The blueberry commission was created by the Georgia General Assembly and funds collected by the assessments are used for research, education, and promotion of Georgia blueberries.


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