The 2022 Georgia Quality Cotton Awards were presented at the Georgia Cotton Commission’s mid-year meeting on July 26 in Statesboro.
Taylor Sills, executive director of the Georgia Cotton Commission, discussed the significance of being able to recognize growers and ginners across the state.
“Cotton quality is a big equation of how producers make money off of their cotton. Cotton quality in Georgia over the years has really increased over the last 10 or 15 years. We want to recognize that. We want to celebrate the high-quality cotton that’s produced here in Georgia,” Sills said. “The gins obviously play a big part in the processing and marketing of cotton. We’re really happy to continue that award this year.
“We had a lot of great winners from across the state, and we had a really good year for cotton, from a yield and quality side across the state last year.”
The awards recognize producers and ginners of high-quality cotton fiber and identify their general management practices for the benefit of other farmers. The growers and their gins received a plaque, and the winning producers received a $500 cash award. The University of Georgia Extension agent for each winner was also recognized as they work closely with the farmers during the growing season.
The overall Best Cotton Award was presented to the Georgia cotton producer with highest loan value and premium. The 2022 Best Cotton Award went to Brooks County’s Jonathan Sykes and Blake Exum with a loan value of 56.81 cents per pound and a premium of 4.81 cents per pound.
The sponsors included the Georgia Cotton Commission and Bayer Crop Science/Deltapine, while the University of Georgia Cotton team administered the program. The winners were:
Region 1
- Less than 500 acres
- Grower – Edwin Clark, Wilcox County
- Ginner – Sconyers Gin & Warehouse Company, Sycamore
- Nominated by – John Bennett
- 500-1000 acres
- Grower – Mark Thompson, Pulaski County
- Ginner – Arabi Gin Company, Inc., Arabi
- Nominated by – Jay Porter
- 1000+ acres
- Grower – Robert Lancaster, Pulaski County
- Ginner – Heart of Georgia Peanut & Gin, Hawkinsville
- Nominated by – Jay Porter
Region 2
- Less than 500 acres
- Grower – Derek Davis, Washington County
- Ginner – Midville Warehouse, Inc., Midville
- Nominated by – Rocky Tanner
- 500-1000 acres
- Grower – J. Robert Jones, Toombs County
- Ginner – South Georgia Cotton Gin, LLC, Hazlehurst
- Nominated by – Jason Edenfield
- 1000+ acres
- Grower – Chris Hopkins, Toombs County
- Ginner – South Georgia Cotton Gin, LLC, Hazlehurst
- Nominated by – Jason Edenfield
Region 3
- Less than 500 acres
- Grower – Jonathan Sykes & Blake Exum, Brooks County
- Ginner – B.C.T. Gin Company, Inc., Quitman
- Nominated by – William Brown
- 500-1000 acres
- Grower – Wall to Wall Farms, LLC, Coffee County
- Ginner – South Georgia Cotton Gin, LLC, Hazlehurst
- Nominated by – Ashley Smith
- 1000+ acres
- Grower – Brian & Ken Ponder Farms, Tift County
- Ginner – Omega Gin Company, Omega
- Nominated by – Justin Hand
Region 4
- Less than 500 acres
- Grower – Lisa Still Bruner, Early County
- Ginner – Early County Gin, Inc., Blakely
- Nominated by – Brian Creswell
- 500-1000 acres
- Grower – Stephen Houston, Jr., Seminole County
- Ginner – Clover Leaf Gin, Inc., Donalsonville
- Nominated by – Cindy Meadows
- 1000+ acres
- Grower – Mims Farms, Seminole County
- Ginner – Clover Leaf Gin Inc., Donalsonville
- Nominated by – Cindy Meadows
“If a producer is interested in applying for the award (for next year), they need to contact their Extension agent or their ginner to learn some more information about it,” Sills said.
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