Armond Morris re-elected chair of Georgia Peanut Commission

TIFTON — Armond Morris, a peanut farmer from Ocilla, Georgia, was elected Thursday to his 16th term as chairman of the Georgia Peanut Commission.

Commissioners made the decision at the grower board’s February business meeting. Morris has chaired the board since 2005 and also served as chair in 1996-97 and in 2003.

“I look forward to serving Georgia’s peanut growers as chairman in 2017,” Morris said. “It is a pleasure to serve peanut producers in the state of Georgia and the commission is continually working to serve all peanut farmers in the state through research, promotion and education.”

“This is a critical time for Georgia agriculture and peanut producers. As farm income has declined, the next farm bill will be even more important to our peanut producers and family farmers. We are excited to have national agricultural leaders like our future secretary of agriculture, Sonny Perdue, and Zippy Duvall, American Farm Bureau president, who understand the importance of agriculture to the rural economy.”

Other officers elected during the board meeting include Joe Boddiford, of Sylvania, as vice chairman and Rodney Dawson, of Hawkinsville, as treasurer. Also serving on the commission are Tim Burch, of Newton, and Donald Chase, of Oglethorpe.

The peanut-producing counties of Georgia are divided into five districts. Peanut farmers in each of the districts elect a representative to serve on the Georgia Peanut Commission board.

The Georgia peanut industry is valued at more than $1.3 billion and the state’s 1.7 million tons produced in 2015 accounted for 56 percent of the total national peanut production, according to information from the commission.