The 2020 Georgia Quality Cotton Awards were presented at the 2021 Georgia Cotton Commission Virtual Annual Meeting on January 27, 2021. The awards are co-sponsored by the Georgia Cotton Commission and Bayer Crop Science/Deltapine and administered by the University of Georgia Cotton Team. Dr. Yangxuan Liu from the UGA Cotton Team conducted the analysis and presented the 2020 Georgia Quality Cotton awards at the annual meeting.
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 – Chad Hawkins, Wilcox County
- Ginner — Sconyers Gin and Warehouse Company
- Nominated by – John Elec Bennett
- 500-1000 acres
- Grower – Wendell Hobby, Turner County
- Ginner – Sconyers Gin and Warehouse Company
- Nominated by – Guy Hancock
- 1000+ acres
- Grower – Wilson Keene, Dodge County
- Ginner – Sconyers Gin and Warehouse Company
- Nominated by – Greg Slaughter
Region 2
- Less than 500 acres
- Grower — Derek Davis, Washington County
- Ginner — Midville Warehouse, Inc.
- Nominated by – Rocky Tanner
- 500-1000 acres
- Grower – Charles E. Wilson Farms, Jenkins County
- Ginner — Midville Warehouse, Inc.
- Nominated by – Katie Burch
- 1000+ acres
- Grower – Sandeford Farms, Burke County
- Ginner – Midville Warehouse, Inc.
- Nominated by – Peyton Sapp
Region 3
- Less than 500 acres
- Grower – Bobby Exum, Lowndes County
- Ginner – B.C.T. Gin Co., Inc. Quitman
- Nominated by – Andy Carter
- 500-1000 acres
- Grower – Ben Strickland, Lanier County
- Ginner – B.C.T. Gin Co., Inc. Quitman
- Nominated by — Andy Carter
- 1000+ acres
- Grower – Patrick Farms – Kerry Patrick and Andrew Patrick, Brooks County
- Ginner – B.C.T. Gin Co., Inc. Quitman
- Nominated by – Michasia Dowdy
Region 4
- Less than 500 acres
- Grower – Tim Bowen, Miller County
- Ginner – Cloverleaf Gin, Inc.
- Nominated by — Cindy Meadows
- 500-1000 acres
- Grower – Creek Bank Farms, Miller and Early County
- Ginner – Cloverleaf Gin, Inc.
- Nominated by – Cindy Meadows
- 1000+ acres
- Grower – John Bridges Farm, Decatur and Seminole County
- Ginner – Cloverleaf Gin, Inc.
- Nominated by – Cindy Meadows
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 2020 Best Cotton Award went to Wilcox County’s Chad Hawkins with a loan value of 56.34 cents/lb and a premium of 4.34 cents/lb.