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2025 Georgia Quality Cotton Award winners announced

The 2025 Georgia Quality Cotton Awards were presented at the 2026 Georgia Cotton Commission Mid-Year Meeting on July 29 in Statesboro.

Stuart Goosen of Jefferson County received the Best Cotton Award, presented to the Georgia cotton producer with highest loan value and premium. Goosen’s cotton had a loan value of 57.35 cents/lb. and a premium of 5.35 cents/lb.

Jefferson County Farmer Stuart Goosen (left) and Ralph Sandeford of Midville Warehouse Inc. (center) accept the 2025 Best Cotton Award as part of the 2025 Georgia Quality Cotton Awards.  L-R - Goosen; Taylor Sills, Georgia Cotton Commission Executive Director; Sandeford; Pamela Sapp, Jefferson County Extension Coordinator; and Will Duffie, Bayer Crop Science. / Photo courtesy of Georgia Cotton Commission

The awards are co-sponsored by the Georgia Cotton Commission and Bayer Crop Science/Deltapine and administered by the University of Georgia (UGA) Cotton Team. UGA Extension Economist Dr. Yangxuan Liu conducted the analysis. Dr. Phillip Roberts presented the awards 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 each 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 – Groves Landing Plantation LLC, Dooly County; Ginner – Creek Cotton Company, Vienna. Nominated by Extension Agent Bill Starr.

500-1000 acres: Grower – Reese Foster, Terrell County; Ginner – McClesky Cotton, Dawson. Nominated by Seth McAllister.

Region 2

Less than 500 acres: Grower – Stuart Goosen, Jefferson County; Ginner – Midville Warehouse, Inc., Midville. Nominated by Extension Agent Pamela Sapp.

500-1000 acres: Grower – Jacob Sandeford, Burke County; Ginner – Midville Warehouse, Inc., Midville. Nominated by Extension Agents Cliff Collins and Peyton Sapp.

1000+ acres: Grower – Smith Farms, Jefferson County; Ginner – Farmers Gin & Storage Co., Inc., Wadley. Nominated by Extension Agent Pamela Sapp.

Region 3

Less than 500 acres: Grower – Craig Drew, Brooks County; Ginner – B.C.T. Gin Company, Inc., Quitman. Nominated by Extension Agents Jacob Kalina and Michasia Dowdy.

500-1000 acres: Grower – Overstreet Farms, Appling County; Ginner – Southeastern Gin and Peanut, Surrency. Nominated by Extension Agent Will Brown.

1000+ acres: Grower – Turner Farms, Appling County; Ginner – Southeastern Gin and Peanut, Surrency. Nominated by Will Brown

Region 4

Less than 500 acres:  Grower – John Bulloch, Thomas County; Ginner – Boston Gin, Boston. Nominated by Extension Agent Sydni Ingram.

500-1000 acres: Grower – Garrett Bridges Farms, Seminole County; Ginner – Clover Leaf Gin, Inc., Donalsonville. Nominated by Extension Agents Justin Odom and Cody Powell.

1000+ acres: Grower – A P Farms, Decatur County. Ginner – Clover Leaf Gin Inc., Donalsonville. Nominated by Extension Agents Justin Odom and Brian Hayes.

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