Join GPGA
About Our Association
Georgia Pecan Growers Association
As the leading state in pecan production, the Georgia Pecan Growers Association (GPGA) has been supporting its members and promoting their pecans since 1985. The Georgia Pecan Growers Association supports growers in all aspects of marketing and education. The association also produces the industry’s leading magazine, The Pecan Grower magazine; Georgia Pecans, providing pecan growers, both domestic and international, with the latest research studies and industry news to help improve upon best practices in production and business. In efforts to continue to move the needle forward for Georgia pecans and new production methods, the GPGA collaborates closely with pecan specialists and horticulturalists across the country. The GPGA also works in tandem with Georgia’s Agricultural Commodity Commission for Pecans and Georgia’s Department of Agriculture to ensure Georgia’s pecan growers have the tools they need to be successful. Additionally, the GPGA collaborates with sister associations from other pecan growing states and the industry’s national organizations to further promote and market pecans.
Our Mission:
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Benefits of Your Membership
- GPGA provides multiple opportunities for members to improve upon production practices. Throughout the year, GPGA offers several Educational opportunities such as our Annual Conference, Annual Fall Field Day, county pecan production meetings, subscription to our information-packed The Pecan Grower magazine, e-newsletters, social media and a knowledgeable and friendly office staff.
- GPGA serves as the Voice of the Industry through our Governmental Relations in Washington, DC and by providing Communications to all members through our website, online newsletter, The Pecan Grower magazine and social media.
- GPGA strongly supports Research and Development in the pecan industry. We work closely with pecan research teams throughout the state to provide the most accurate and up-to-date information with our members about new pecan production practices.
- Marketing Georgia Pecans to consumers is another benefit received through membership. Whether it’s a retail outlet, commercial operation or a pecan tree nursery, the GPGA works to connect your business with consumers to increase the demand and awareness for Georgia pecans.
- Commercial Members: If you are a supporting business of Georgia pecan growers, there is something for you as well! By becoming a commercial member you are not only supporting our association, but you will also receive a free listing on our website for your business as a resource for our pecan growers!
Our Members
Commercial Member List
A1 Mist Sprayers
Dan Schweers
877-924-2474
www.mistsprayers.com
Able Ag Solutions, LLC
Pieter Booysen
904-417-3188
www.ableagsolutions.com
ACETO Agricultural Chemical Corporation
J. W. Christiansen
229-343-4035
www.aceto.com
Actagro LLC
Reese Martin
559-369-2222
www.actagro.com
Aerobotics
Sean Olivari
928-444-0969
aerobotics.com
Ag Nutrients/Redox Chemicals
Chris Baker
208-678-2610
redoxchem.com
Ag Technologies
Brent Davis
877-585-4477
agtechnologies.com
AGRI-AFC, LLC
Christine
256-560-2848
www.agri-afc.com
AgSouth Farm Credit, ACA
Jon Harris
844-AGSOUTH
www.agsouthfc.com
Alltech Crop Science
Eric Waldo
www.alltech.com/crop-science
Americus Realty-Century 21
Tommy McKenzie
478-957-6465
www.americusareamls.com
AMVAC Chemical Corp.
Ricky Lord
www.amvac.com
AMVT LLC
David Liang
506 Stonegate Dr
Katy, TX 77494
281-506-2430
www.amvt.net
APC Industries Company
Tony Albin
909-545-5054
www.apcbearings.com
Apollo Pecan Nursey & Groves
Tim Brown
941-266-6691
www.apollopecannursery.com
Arysta LifeSciences NA
Charles Lamb
www.arysta-na.com/us
Atwell Pecan Co., Inc.
Seaborn Dell
706-547-2554
www.atwellpecan.com
Avery Crop Insurance
Jeremy Ryan
229-243-7216
business.bainbridgegachamber.com
Big John Manufacturing
Danny Sanders
www.bigjohnmfg.com
Billy Black Real Estate
Billy Black
BioSafe Systems, LLC
Kaleb Tyrone
919-214-1533
BioSafeSystems.com
Bowsmith
Stanley Kirby
www.bowsmith.com
Burch Corp.
Dan Pope
205-201-3807
burchcorp.com
Calway Foods, Inc
Jack Huang
2005 De La Cruz Blvd., Suite 134
Santa Clara, California 95050
408-423-9138
510-877-6768
Fax: 408-496-6688
jackh@calwayfoods.com
www.calwayfoods.com
Carter Brothers Pecan Co.
Jonathan Arn
www.carterpecan.com
Chemical Containers, Inc
John Farrell
www.chemicalcontainers.com
Corteva-DOW AgroSciences
Chip Giles
229-392-4653
www.corteva.us
Diamond Foods LLC
Steve Zaffarano
Durand Wayland
Kyle Perry
101 Durand Rd
LaGrange, GA 30241
706-882-8161 ext. 173
706-577-4774
Easterlin Pecan Co., Inc.
Will Easterlin
478-244-9812
www.easterlinpecan.com/index.html
Farm Credit Associations of Georgia
Corey Cottle
800-768-FARM
www.georgiafarmcredit.com
Flint Ag & Turf
www.flintequipco.com
Flint EMC
David Yelton
www.flintenergies.com
Ganas Pecan Company & Ganas Pecan Farm
Garrett Ganas
912-284-9599
gapecan.com
Georgia Federal-State Inspection Service
Clint Faircloth
www.gafsis.com
GESAR Inc.
Cash Willis
470-440-1114
www.gesarrobots.com
Gibbs Pecan Company
Jane Long
www.grunners.com
Gillison's Variety Fab.
Graig Gillison
3033 Benzie Hwy
Benzonia Mi 49616
800-392-6059
231-383-0005
GlobeRunners, Inc.
McLaughlin
760-710-2555
www.grunners.com
Grey Dog Farms of Georgia, LLC
Steve Clausen
Good Hope Industries
Phillip Connell
Gowan USA, LLC
Korey Herrington
Sales Rep - southeast
229-322-4339
Griffin's Warehouse Blackshear
Raymond Hester
rwgriffin.com
Gulf Coast Bag, Inc.
Roger Rochman
281-556-8500
www.gulfcoastbag.com
Helena Chemical Co.
Wade Quattlebaum
www.helenaagri.com
Hudson Pecan Company, INC.
559 Vo Tech Dr
Ocilla, GA 31774
229-468-9473
www.hudsonpecan.com
Hunt Advertising & Communications
Kelli Strickland 229-392-2353
huntadvertisingonline.com
Irrigation Supply USA, LLC.
Brian Blanchett, Diego Ledesma
Office: 229-513-1177
Mobile: 229-392-7305 (Brian)
www.irrigationsupplyusa.com
Irrigation-Mart
Leah Simmons
318-255-1832
https://www.irrigation-mart.com/
Kinloch Plantation Pecan Oil
Tommy Hatfield
318 435-1455
www.pecanoil.com
Kitchen's Pecan Scouting, LLC
Billy Ray Kitchens
Lasseter Equipment Group
Judd Lasseter
www.lassetereq.com
Lineage Logistics
Van Griffin
lineagelogistics.com
LM Carter Manufacturing Co.
Joe Ford
678-327-9915
www.lmcarter.com
Miller Chemical & Fertilizer
Darin Singleton
www.millerchemical.com
Nachurs Alpine Hal Russell
www.nachurs-alpine.com
Nashville Bag Co., Inc.
David Taylor
229-686-5155
Natural AG Solution
Timmy Mann
Natural Impressions
Harlo Lovett
229-392-2713
Nichino America, Inc.
Wayne Brown
229-456-2082
www.nichino.net
NIPAN LLC
Mark Crawford
229-460-5922
nickelplus.biz
Nutrien – Americus
Ed Everette
www.nutrien.com
Orchard-Rite/Pacific Dist. Inc
Shawn Miller
www.orchard-rite.com
Pecan Cracker Repairs/Hatcher
Thomas Hatcher
Pecan Nut Busters, Inc.
Carleton Dailey
www.pecannutbusters.com
Peerless Manufacturing
Tracey Lumpkin
www.peerlessmfg.cc
PGIM
Josh Culpepper
407-649-2197
pgimref.com/real-estate-finance/index.shtml
Pitts Insurance Agency
Lisa McKinley
229-648-6496
Plant Food Systems, Inc.
Gary Veal
229-425-1407
www.plantfoodsystems.com
Planters First
Eli Tinsley
bankpfb.com
Priester’s Pecans, Inc.
Thomas Ellis
-334-227-4301 (O), 334-657-3222 (C)
www.priesters.com
Prudential Agricultural Investments
Josh Culpepper
Quest Products LLC.
Reliant Fungicide
Jeff Hunter
941-735-0232
jhunter.quest@gmail.com
R W Griffin Industries
Randy Gay
rwgriffin.com
Roland, Abbott & Dezoort Insurance
Louis Abbott
www.radinsagency.com
Sanders Chemical Co.
Catherine Melton
Savage of Georgia
Billy Brown
229-787-5115
www.savageequipment.com
Shiloh Pecan Farms - Nursery
Ray City, GA
Mark Worthy 229-300-4867
Buck Paulk 229-300-3400
Simpson Nurseries
Fred Beshears
simpsonnurseries.co
Solera Larry Worn
229-921- 6229
www.solerasd.com
South Georgia Banking Company
Sam McCard
229-282-4211
Southwest Georgia Farm Credit, ACA
Kathy Foreman
www.swgafarmcredit.com
Stone Mountain Pecan
Robby Coker / Chris Coker
1781 U.S. Hwy 78
Monroe, GA
770-207-6486
Sumner Ag Services Inc.
David Sumner
www.sumnerag.com
Specialty Crop Trade Council
Erika Montoya
559-389-5895
www.shipsctc.org
Summit Agro
David Cole
941-456-0110
www.summitagro-usa.com
Summit Gold
Kenny Neel
334-319-6713
www.summitgold.com
Syngenta
Lyle Stewart
www.syngenta.com
Synovus Bank
Clint Hood
Agriculture & Timber Division
888-796-6887
Teleos Ag Solutions
Justin Harrison
229-326-5861
teleosag.com
Text TEP, Inc.
Jason Ward
The Pecan Life
Janel Bailey
756 Jones Road
Byron, GA 31008
478-747-5137
www.thepecanlife.com
The Peed Company
Seth Peed
Tillman Insurance Agency, Inc.
Dan Tillman
229-242-5319
www.tia-ins.com
TOL Incorporated
Scott Hermann
www.tol-inc.com
Triangle Chemical Co.
Mark Hawke
229-344-6508
www.trianglecc.com
TWC Distributors
Ronnie Chandler
407-467-3559
TriEst Ag Group, Inc
Perry Fuller
triestag.com/home/triest-home.php
Valent USA
David Yoder
25047 N.E. Grady Tew Rd
Altha, FL 32421
850-377-8137
John V Altom
4503 NW 186 Street
Newberry, FL 32669
352-316-1366
Vann Farms Pecan Nursery
Scott Vann
8602 US Hwy 19
Baconton, GA 31716
229-522-0442
Board of Directors
Board of Directors
President
Miley Adams
Camilla, GA 31730
Home: 229-328-7700
Executive Director
Samantha McLeod
Tifton, GA 31794
Office: 229-382-2187
Cell: 229-402-3106
Jim Buchanan
Buchanan Farms Inc.
Americus, GA 31719
Cell: 229-938-7310
Marianne Brown
Leesburg, GA 31763
Cell: 229-886-0389
Rob Cohen
Bainbridge, GA 39818
229-726-2621
Kyle Durrence
Durden Pecan Co.
Reidsville, GA 30453
Home: 912-557-6115
Cell: 912-237-0105
Slade Ellis
Ellis Farms LLC
Vienna, GA 31092
Cell: 229-268-9041
James Exum
Exum Pecans
Quitman, GA 31643
Home: 229-561-2671
Cell: 229-775-2234
Scott Hudson
Hudson Pecan Co.
529 VoTech Dr
Ocilla, GA 31774-3641
Cell: 229-425-1130
Lawton Pearson
Pearson Farm
Fort Valley, GA
Cell: 478-952-1906
Advisors
Will Easterlin
Easterlin Pecan Company
Montezuma, GA 31063
478-472-7731
Mark Hawke
Oakland Meadows Business Park
Leesburg, GA 31673
229-432-7400
Mike Horne
Andersonville, GA 31711
RG Lamar
Lamar Pecan Co.
Hawkinsville, GA 31036
Office: 478-230-8065
Meet The Staff
Samantha McLeod
Executive Director & Editor of The Pecan Grower magazine since February 2017
Samantha joined the GPGA staff as Executive Director in February of 2017, following her passion of supporting farmers and being an advocate for agriculture. Prior to GPGA, Samantha worked for Case IH Agriculture for 5 years, first in a Commercial Rotational Development program, then as a Commercial Product Trainer, and finally as the Southeastern Crop Production Sales Specialist representing the manufacturer’s line-up of planters, seeding, and tillage equipment across seven states.
Outside of GPGA, Samantha is happily married to Robert McLeod III and lives just outside of Tifton, GA. Together they have two beautiful boys, Arlan (3) and Curtis (1) and enjoy running their small herd of Registered Black Angus cattle and helping out on the family’s farm.
Sheila Harnage
Finance since January 2013
Originally from Omega, Georgia, Sheila graduated from Tift County High School in 1985 and then went on to graduate from Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College, located in Tifton, Georgia in 1987. She went back to school to obtain a degree in Accounting from Moultrie Technical College in 2012. Prior to coming onboard with GPGA, Sheila homeschooled her 4 children from 1991 until 2013 from kindergarten through their graduation.
Outside of GPGA Sheila is happily married to Scot Harnage. The two share four children and two step grandchildren. Sheila is actively involved in her church and loves to spend time with family.
Amy Howell
Grants Coordinator & Copy Editor for The Pecan Grower magazine since 2014
A native of Tifton, Amy holds a Bachelor of Arts in Journalism degree and Master of Public Administration degree from the University of Georgia. Prior to joining the GPGA team, Amy worked at Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College for 5 years and, prior to that, lived and worked in Atlanta for 8 years in both state government and the private sector.
Outside of GPGA Amy and her husband, Courtney, have three children and are active in their schools, church and community.
Andrew McBrayer
Graphic Design and Photography since 2016
Andrew, Tifton, GA native, graduated from Tift County High School in spring of 2018. He is currently a full time staff member here at GPGA where he focuses mainly on our bi-monthly magazine, The Pecan Grower. As well, Andrew is heavily involved in photography, spending much of his time photographing pecans around the state of Georgia. He plans to attend the University of Alabama in the Fall of 2021, furthering his education.
Outside of GPGA Andrew loves to travel. Some of his favorite trips to date are Southern California and New York City, New York. When he isn’t on weekend trips, he loves spending time with his 6 year old niece. Andrew owns a photography business, Andrew E. McBrayer Photography, which he opened in late 2017, where he focuses on families, portraits and landscape photography.
Nicole Taylor Smith
Events and Education Manager since 2018
Nicole, a Tifton native, graduated from Tift County Highschool in 2017. She attended Abraham Baldwin Agriculture College for two years before transferring to the University of Georgia. Nicole graduated in December 2019 with a Bachelor's in Agriculture Education and Leadership at the University of Georgia. Nicole joined the GPGA staff in January 2018 to gain experience in agriculture and to share her love for pecans and their importance to Georgia Agriculture.
Outside of GPGA, Nicole is an active alumni member for the University of Georgia College of Agriculture and Environmental Sciences. She recently got married on October 10th. Both her and her husband, Tristan, share a love of the outdoors and agriculture. She credits her Dad, Del Taylor, in giving her a passion for agriculture as well as her Mom and sister for helping support all her endeavors.
Contact Us:
Georgia Pecan Growers Association
(P.O. Box 1367)
Tifton, Georgia 31794
Phone: 229-382-2187
Fax: 404-393-9298
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