Nomination meetings for two seats on Georgia Peanut Commission set for Dec. 14

MACON — Nomination meetings to fill two positions on the five-member Georgia Peanut Commission will be conducted during simultaneous grower meetings at 10 a.m. Dec. 14.

The commission’s Board of Directors consists of five Georgia peanut farmers who are elected from single-member districts. Representatives for Districts 1 and 3 will be determined at the meetings, which will be conducted by the Georgia Farm Bureau Federation.

The District 1 nomination meeting will be conducted at the Miller County Farm Bureau Office at 314 E. Bremond St. in Colquitt. That district, currently represented by Tim Burch of Baker County, includes Baker, Calhoun, Decatur, Dougherty, Early, Grady, Miller, Mitchell and Seminole counties.

The District 3 meeting will be at the Emanuel County Farm Bureau Office at 320 Lambs Bridge Road, Swainsboro. Joe Boddiford of Screven County currently represents the district that includes Appling, Bacon, Bryan, Bulloch, Burke, Candler, Effingham, Emanuel, Evans, Glascock, Jeff Davis, Jefferson, Jenkins, Johnson, Montgomery, Pierce, Richmond, Screven, Tattnall, Toombs, Treutlen, Washington and Wayne counties.

The two commissioners’ current terms end New Year’s Eve.

“Georgia Farm Bureau encourages peanut farmers in the Georgia Peanut Commission’s First and Third districts to attend their district meetings and participate in making nominations for these commission positions,” Georgia Farm Bureau President Gerald Long said. “The peanut commission plays an important role in promoting Georgia peanuts, crop research and education, and needs grower input to effectively represent them.”

The Georgia peanut production area is divided into the five districts based on acreage distribution and geographical location. Each nominee must produce peanuts and live within the district for which he or she is nominated.

Any producer living in the district may be nominated or make nominations at the meeting. Incumbents are eligible for renomination. If more than one person is nominated, an election will be conducted by mail ballot. Commission by-laws state that a person must receive a majority of the votes cast for a position in order to be elected to the commission board.