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2024 Georgia Quality Cotton Award winners announced

Tift County farmer Ryan Branch receive the Best Cotton Award, highlighting the announcement of the 2024 Quality Cotton Awards during the Georgia Cotton Commission’s Mid-Year Meeting n July 23 in Statesboro.

Branch, who was nominated by Tift County Extension Agents Justin Hand and Regan Veal. Branch’s cotton achieved a loan value of 57.05 cents/lb. and a premium of 5.05 cents/lb. The Best Cotton Award is given to the Georgia cotton producer with highest loan value and premium.

The Georgia Quality Cotton Awards are co-sponsored by the Georgia Cotton Commission and Bayer Crop Science/Deltapine and administered by the University of Georgia (UGA) Cotton Team. Dr. Yangxuan Liu, Extension economist at the University of Georgia, conducted the analysis. Dr. Camp Hand presented the awards at the event in Statesboro on behalf of the UGA Cotton Team.

The purpose of the awards is to recognize producers and ginners of high-quality cotton fiber and to identify their general management practices for the benefit of other growers. The producers and their gins received a plaque, and the winning producers received a $500 cash award. The UGA County Extension Agent for each winner was also recognized as they work closely with the farmers during the growing season.

The awards are given in each of these three cotton acreage categories: 1) less than 500 acres, 2) 500 to 1,000 acres, and 3) greater than 1,000 acres within the four regions of the state. Winners in these categories are determined by the loan value and premiums of their cotton. The winners’ excellent achievements are due largely to their management practices and expertise. The sponsors of this program congratulate the following winners:

Region 1

Less than 500 acres - Grower – Keith Melcher, Crisp County; Ginner – Arabi Gin Company, Inc., Arabi; Nominated by – Jack Quayle.

500-1000 acres – Grower – Mark Thompson Wilcox County; Ginner – Arabi Gin Company, Inc., Arabi; Nominated by – John Bennett & Jay Porter.

1000+ acres – Grower – Lime Creek Farms, Crisp County; Ginner – Arabi Gin Company, Inc., Arabi; Nominated by – Jack Quayle.

Region 2

Less than 500 acres – Grower – Phillip John Raley, Glascock County; Ginner – Farmer’s Gin & Storage, Wadley; Nominated by – Pamela Sapp.

500-1000 acres – Grower – Bill Godowns Farm Partnership, Jefferson County; Ginner – Farmer’s Gin & Storage, Wadley; Nominated by – Pamela Sapp.

1000+ acres – Grower – Dean Johnson, Burke County; Ginner – Bryant’s Inc., Bartow; Nominated by – Cliff Collins & Peyton Sapp.

Region 3

Less than 500 acres – Grower – Ryan Branch, Tift County; Ginner – Sconyers Gin & Warehouse Company, Sycamore; Nominated by – Justin Hand and Regan Veal.

500-1000 acres – Grower – C + M Southern Farms, Brooks County; Ginner – B.C.T. Gin Company, Inc., Quitman; Nominated by – Michasia Dowdy.

1000+ acres – Grower – Dewitt Farms, Brooks County; Ginner – B.C.T. Gin Company, Inc., Quitman; Nominated by – Michasia Dowdy.

Region 4

Less than 500 acres – Grower – Allen Donalson, Grady County; Ginner – Boston Gin, Boston; Nominated by – Jackson Cale Cloud & Sydni Ingram.

500-1000 acres – Grower – Adam Rowland, Thomas County; Ginner – B.C.T. Gin Company, Inc., Quitman; Nominated by – Sydni Ingram & Michasia Dowdy.

1000+ acres – Grower –Parker Heard, Decatur County; Ginner – Clover Leaf Gin & Warehouse, Donalsonville; Nominated by – Hugh Moye.

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