The 2024 Georgia Quality Cotton Awards were presented at the 2025 Georgia Cotton Commission Mid-Year Meeting on July 23 in Statesboro, Georgia. 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. Dr. Yangxuan Liu, a UGA Extension economist, conducted the analysis. 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
Best Cotton Award
The final award given was the overall Best Cotton Award. This was awarded to the Georgia cotton producer with highest loan value and premium. The 2024 Best Cotton Award went to Tift County’s Ryan Branch with a loan value of 57.05 cents per pound and a premium of 5.05 cents per pound.