Released: Dec. 2, 2024
TIFTON, Ga – Nomination meetings to fill three positions on the Georgia Peanut Commission (GPC) Board of Directors will be held Dec. 19 in Ocilla, Cochran and Americus. The Georgia Farm Bureau Federation will conduct the meetings during which peanut producers will nominate peers to represent the Peanut Commission’s Districts 2, 4 and 5. The terms of the commission members who currently represent these districts expire Dec. 31, 2024.
“I encourage peanut growers in these districts to attend the meeting for their district and participate in the nomination process for these Georgia Peanut Commission positions,” says Georgia Farm Bureau President Tom McCall. “The Georgia Peanut Commission plays an important role in promoting Georgia peanuts by supporting research that addresses production issues growers face, educating producers about peanut industry issues, and promoting the nutritional benefits of eating peanuts to consumers.”
The Georgia peanut production area is divided into five districts based on acreage distribution and geographical location with one board member representing each district. Each nominee must produce peanuts and live within the district for which he or she is nominated.
The GPC District 2 nomination meeting will be held at 9 a.m. on Dec. 19 at the Irwin County Farm Bureau office located at 302 South Cherry St., Ocilla, Ga. Ross Kendrick of Turner County is the incumbent in the district. Counties in District 2 include Atkinson, Ben Hill, Berrien, Brooks, Coffee, Colquitt, Cook, Echols, Irwin, Lanier, Lowndes, Thomas, Tift, Turner and Worth.
The GPC District 4 nomination meeting will be held at the Bleckley County Farm Bureau Office located at 157 West Dykes St., Cochran, Ga., 31014, at 9 a.m. on Dec. 19. Rodney Dawson of Pulaski County is the District 4 incumbent. Counties in District 4 include Bleckley, Crisp, Dodge, Dooly, Houston, Laurens, Pulaski, Telfair, Twiggs, Wheeler, Wilcox and Wilkinson.
The GPC District 5 nomination meeting will be held at the Sumter County Farm Bureau Office located at 141 Highway 27 East, Americus, Ga., 31709, at 11 a.m. on Dec. 19. Donald Chase of Macon County is the district incumbent. Counties in District 5 include Chattahoochee, Clay, Lee, Macon, Marion, Peach, Quitman, Randolph, Schley, Stewart, Sumter, Talbot, Taylor, Terrell and Webster.
Any peanut producer may be nominated or make nominations at the meeting for the peanut district in which he or she lives. Incumbents are eligible for renomination.
If more than one person is nominated, an election will be conducted by mail ballot at a date to be announced. Commission by-laws state that a person must receive a majority of the votes cast for a position to be elected to the board. If only one person qualifies for the position, no election is required, and the nominated person automatically becomes a member of the Georgia Peanut Commission Board. Commission members serve terms of three years.
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About Georgia Farm Bureau
Founded in 1937, Georgia Farm Bureau is the state’s largest general farm organization. The organization has 158 county offices, and its volunteer members actively participate in activities that promote agriculture awareness to their non-farming neighbors. Visit www.gfb.org to learn more about GFB.
About Georgia Peanut Commission
The Georgia Peanut Commission was established in 1961 under the state’s Commodities Promotion Act. Today, the commission represents Georgia’s 4,000 peanut farmers and conducts programs in the areas of promotion, research and education. To learn more, visit gapeanuts.com or follow @gapeanuts on Facebook, Instagram or X.