County UGA Cooperative Extension Service agents serve as vital resources for Georgia cotton producers. Agents are known for delivering timely and accurate information and recommendations, which are instrumental for the success of farmers across the state. They also perform community specific research, education, and outreach programs designed to help farmers maximize yields and efficiency.
The Georgia Cotton Commission sponsored the King Cotton Awards to recognize outstanding contributions of county agents to Georgia cotton producers. The Junior Award, named the Allen B. Fulford Award, honors the accomplishments and memory of Allen B. Fulford, who served as a county Extension agent and state cotton agronomist. This award credits those with less than 10 years of service. The awards were presented at the 2025 Georgia Association of County Agricultural Agents Annual Meeting & Professional Improvement Conference in November. The Georgia Cotton Commission is proud to salute the excellent work that County Extension Agents do for farmers across the state.
The 2025 Allen B. Fulford Award winner is John Bennett, who serves as the Wilcox County Extension Coordinator and Agriculture & Natural Resources Agent. Bennett started his career with UGA Extension in 2020 in Wilcox County. Over the past five years, he has worked with UGA specialists and local producers to conduct on-farm research such as cotton variety, deer damage, and fertility trials. He is impactful in continuing extension’s mission by holding various trainings and updates for producers and sharing his research through oral and poster presentations at national meetings. Bennett also holds a Master of Plant Protection and Pest Management from the University of Georgia.
The Georgia Cotton Commission is a producer-funded organization located in Perry, Georgia. The Commission began in 1965. Georgia cotton producers pay an assessment enabling the Commission to invest in programs of research, promotion, and education on behalf of all cotton producers of Georgia. For more information about the Georgia Cotton Commission please call (478) 988-4235 or on the web at www.georgiacottoncommission.org.