Today we honor Dr. Bill Branch, a leading figure in agricultural innovation at the University of Georgia Tifton campus, for his election as a Fellow of the National Academy of Inventors.
Dr. Branch has made extraordinary contributions to the peanut industry, having developed 30 novel and licensed peanut varieties, including two of the most disease-resistant cultivars: Georgia Green and Georgia-06G. These varieties have revolutionized peanut production in the Southeast, with Georgia 06G alone accounting for 85% of peanut acreage in Georgia and surrounding states.
Georgia now grows 70% of the U.S. peanut supply, thanks in large part to Dr. Branch’s innovations. His work has generated over $72 million in royalties for the University of Georgia—more than any other agriculture-related technology.
Each of his 30 varieties has been both licensed and commercialized, marking him as one of the most influential inventors in modern crop breeding. As the peanut industry celebrates his lifetime achievements, Dr. Branch’s contributions continue to support Georgia’s position as the nation’s top peanut-producing state.
Congratulations to Dr. Branch on this well-deserved recognition. His legacy in agricultural science is truly remarkable.
— Tyron Spearman reporting for Southeast AgNet