Tift grower wins top prize at Ga. Quality Cotton Awards

Published 1:57 pm Thursday, July 24, 2025

PERRY — The 2024 Georgia Quality Cotton Awards were presented at the 2025 Georgia Cotton Commission Mid-Year Meeting on July 23. 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, extension economist at the University of Georgia, conducted the analysis. Dr. Camp Hand presented the awards at the event in Statesboro on behalf of the UGA Cotton Team.

Tift County’s Ryan Branch received the Best Cotton Award, the final award of the night. It’s awarded to the Georgia cotton producer with highest loan value and premium. Branch’s cotton had a loan value of 57.05 cents/lb and a premium of 5.05 cents/lb.

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, according to a press release from the Georgia Cotton Commission. 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 Georgia Cotton Commission said. 

Region 1

— Less than 500 acres: Grower, Keith Melcher, Crisp County; ginner, Arabi Gin Company, Inc., Arabi; nominated by Jack Quayle.

— 500-1,000 acres: Grower, Mark Thompson Wilcox County; ginner, Arabi Gin Company, Inc., Arabi; nominated by John Bennett & Jay Porter.

—  1,000+ 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.

— 500-1,000 acres: Grower, Bill Godowns Farm Partnership, Jefferson County; ginner, Farmer’s Gin & Storage, Wadley; nominated by Pamela Sapp.

—  1,000+ 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.

— 500-1,000 acres: Grower, C + M Southern Farms, Brooks County; ginner, B.C.T. Gin Company, Inc., Quitman; nominated by Michasia Dowdy.

— 1,000+ 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.

— 500-1,000 acres: Grower, Adam Rowland, Thomas County; ginner, B.C.T. Gin Company, Inc., Quitman; nominated by Sydni Ingram & Michasia Dowdy.

— 1,000+ acres: Grower, Parker Heard, Decatur County; ginner, Clover Leaf Gin & Warehouse, Donalsonville; nominated by Hugh Moye.