Since 1945, Georgia’s ports have served as magnets for international trade and investment, enriching the state’s economy to benefit all Georgians. The Georgia Ports Authority is dedicated to providing customers with the most efficient, productive port facilities in the nation, and to creating jobs and business opportunities to benefit more than 11 million Georgians.

The GPA is committed to maintaining its competitive edge through development of leading-edge technology, marketing and operations to move cargo faster. Georgia Ports is focused on what must be done today to sustain growth, performance and security for tomorrow.

Georgia’s deepwater ports in Savannah and Brunswick, together with inland terminals in Murray County, Hall County and Bainbridge are Georgia’s gateways to the world. They are the critical conduits through which raw materials and finished products flow to and from destinations around the globe.

As a state authority, a thirteen-member Board of Directors governs the activities of the GPA. The Board is appointed by the governor, from the state at large, to serve four-year, staggered terms. A President/CEO, an experienced international transportation professional, implements policy directives, administrative duties and managerial controls.

As one of the state’s largest public employers, the GPA directly employs almost 1,800 trained logistics professionals. The GPA, however, is responsible for generating far more employment throughout the state. GPA operations, together with private sector, port-related operations, account for more than 605,000 jobs throughout the state annually and contribute $44 billion in income, $181 billion in revenue and $6 billion in state and local taxes to Georgia’s economy.

The Port of Savannah, home to the largest single-terminal container facility of its kind in North America, is comprised of two modern, deepwater terminals: Garden City Terminal and Ocean Terminal. Together, these facilities exemplify the GPA’s exacting standards of efficiency and productivity. The Port of Savannah sees is one of the best-connected ports in the U.S. to world markets with 40 ship calls a week, 42 doublestack trains per week and 16,000 truck gate moves daily.

Georgia Ports Authority Fact Sheet

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The 2025 Georgia Peanut Tour concluded with dinner hosted at the Quail Branch Lodge. Quail Branch Lodge is the premier wedding destination located in Lake Park, Georgia, offering a complete array of amenities to fulfill every bride’s dream wedding. The lodge is set amongst nature pine forests, vast agriculture expanses and pristine waters.

Nestled deep within this refuge from the business-world, guests enjoy the spoils of privilege, relaxing in their lake front lodge after a long day. Enjoy refreshments in a comfortable rocking chair on the porch, grab some tackle and troll the lake or simply relax by the fireplace joining in on the camaraderie sharing the day’s events with valued friends.  The Quail Branch Lodge staff will make you feel right at home and the memories you create will last a lifetime.

A Georgia Peanut Tour tradition, the Wednesday night meal featured the famous low country boil and peanut-inspired ice cream sponsored by Corteva Agriscience. Corteva has sponsored the low country boil for many years, making it a tradition most all tour attendees look forward to. The boil includes shrimp, sausage, potatoes and corn.

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Established in 1983, BCT Gin Company, Inc. handles cotton, peanuts, corn, and small grains with operations in Quitman, Berlin, Pavo, Adel, and Moultrie.

The shareholders and Board of Directors knew this company needed managers who were knowledgeable in farming and would also have the foresight and skills to take this company to new levels of success and growth. The positions were filled with enthusiastic and qualified individuals who were dedicated and determined to meet the needs of the farmers. Forty years later, Steve Bullard is the Executive Manager and Jessica Goodman is the Executive Office Manager over all the divisions. It is with great pride, BCT Gin’s shareholders, managers, staff and employees have looked back at the end of every ginning season and said, “A job well done.” And wondering how they could do it even better the next season.

Dedication and drive like this is what brought BCT Gin Company to the level of success it is today. BCT has expanded over the years with numerous locations. Maintaining three ginning facilities, three peanut buying points, a grain facility and a warehouse for storage. With new upgrades, BCT is always ready to meet the customer’s needs.

BCT can safely and proudly say it has met the demands of existing customers and is prepared to meet the needs of any new customers. The company and its leaders have made their mark in the cotton and peanut industry. From getting cotton and peanuts out of the field, to marketing and selling the crop at the best prices, BCT Gin management is well known and respected throughout the industry for insight, knowledge, and expertise in cotton and peanut production and marketing.

BCT would consider it an honor to assist any farmer with any questions or problems they may have. BCT believes in customer relations and satisfaction. No matter how big or small, BCT’s goal is to work with every farmer with equal effort because every farmer is a valued customer.

While at BCT, tour attendees were treated with homemade ice cream with an array of flowers including peach, blueberry, and strawberry. The ice cream was from a local shop right down the road called Burton Brooks Peach Orchard. Following ice cream, attendees took a walk throught the cotton gin seeing how the process takes place and also recieved insight on current technologies on modern day equipment.

Now you make ask why attendees were brought to a cotton gin while on a peanut tour. Farmers must rotate their crops and peanuts and cotton often go hand in hand. Jessica Goodman stated while on the tour that 100% of their peanut growers also grow cotton.

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Colombo North America is a Brazilian company that is strongly active in the development of machine solutions for the mechanized harvesting of grains and agricultural components. With 50 years of history and a presence in more than 60 countries, Colombo is a solid business group in constant growth. Located in the city of Pindorama, in the interior of the State of São Paulo, Colombo has a structure of 20,000 m2 of built area, divided into four manufacturing units: MIAC, AEMCO, COLOMBO FOUNDRY and COTRAME.

Internationally, Colombo Industries operates two commercial and technical support companies: one in Adel, Georgia, USA, and the other in Río Cuarto, Córdoba, Argentina.

Colombo is a traditional company known for its strength and capacity to innovate. Whoever becomes their client or partner has a company that is highly committed to sustainable development, the daily improvement of service and to social and environmental responsibility.

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Nolin Steel is a third-generation family manufacturer, that values on quality, integrity and constant improvement. They provide in-house design, quality materials and cutting-edge technology with a customer-focused process from start to finish.

Beginning in 1975 with Guy and Frank Nolin, Nolin Steel’s roots and passion began and remain in the peanut industry; however, Nolin is quickly becoming a leading provider of processing and handling systems for dry bulk solids.

For peanuts specifically, Nolin supplies equipment and turnkey projects throughout the world and serve all segments of the industry. In addition to system designs and modeling services, they handle installation, millwright and maintenance services.

Segments of the peanut industry Nolin serves: buying points, commercial shelling, blanching, seed shelling, in-shell cleaning and processing, and specialty niche projects.

To learn more about their peanut systems, click the following link: Information on Peanut Systems.

To watch a brief video summarizing their quality of their peanut systems, click the following link: Quality Preciseness and Simplicity

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After leaving the farm, tour attendees traveled over to the Southwest Georgia Research and Education Center and Georgia Seed Development. Here, they split into two groups to tour each.

Georgia Seed Development is responsible for overseeing the foundation plant material production in Georgia. As a nonprofit, self-supporting organization, GSD provides economic support for new business opportunities that help keep agriculture as Georgia’s No. 1 industry. This effort has resulted in more than $15 million of additional support for University of Georgia cultivar development since 1997.

Overseen by an 11-member board, operating funds are derived from seed and vegetative plant material sales, as well as royalty fees for cultivars developed by UGA.

GSD works closely with the University of Georgia College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, the University of Georgia Research Foundation and the Georgia Crop Improvement Association in supporting various research projects and in bringing new cultivars to market. GSD has an active seed production program for most crops grown in the state including peanuts, soybeans, small grains, cotton, canola, blueberries and bahia grass. Their programs maintain varietal identity and high seed quality as they increase seed quantities from a small amount of breeder seed to a sufficient volume of certified seed and plant stock for commercial crops. Quality factors such as purity, germination and freedom from noxious weeds are monitored during the certification process.

Georgia Seed Development also maintains foundation material of vegetatively propagated turfgrass and horticultural cultivars developed by the University of Georgia and the United States Department of Agriculture’s Agriculture Research Service.

GSD’s peanut program is housed at their Plains, Georgia, location. They recently completed a multi-year expansion of this facility to add enhanced equipment for drying, storage, shelling and treating peanuts. The Plains facility also has the capacity to condition and store small grains and soybeans using an air-screen machine with flat bag storage. A large temperature- and humidity-controlled room at this site provides long-term seed storage.

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While at LMC Manufacturing, tour attendees had an opportunity to sample grilled peanut butter and jelly sandwiches made by Tyron Spearman, executive director of the National Peanut Buying Points Association.

Tyron Spearman (left) and Wesley Powell grill peanut butter and jelly sandwiches for the tour attendees.

Each year, Spearman joins attendees on the tour and gives them a taste of America’s favorite sandwich with a unique twist. Spearman says the key to a great grilled PB&J is to mix your peanut butter and jelly together first before spreading it on the bread. After that, you can butter each side of the sandwich and grill it just like you would a grilled cheese. Be sure to try it at home!

Below is a throwback video from the 2016 tour, where Spearman describes the simple process of making your own grilled PB&J.

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Lewis Carter, Jr. welcomes Georgia Peanut Tour attendees to LMC Manufacturing in Donalsonville, Georgia.

After leaving SunSouth, tour attendees headed over to LMC Manufacturing. With a history of more than 80 years, LMC has been a leader in producing world class machinery. The company offers solutions tailored to meet the needs of a specific industry and/or company. From gravity separation machines and destoners to vibratory conveyors, LMC produces custom-built industrial separation equipment for the customer’s unique processing requirements.

Throughout the years, the Carter family has built equipment ranging from peanut shellers for Georgia farmers to bow hooks for the Navy during World War II. At the root of it all remains the consistent mechanical innovations helping numerous industries operate smarter and more efficiently.

LMC’s focus on process application separates it from other manufacturers. This focus drives them to understand the process and design applications with specific purposes. LMC equipment is custom-built for the required process whether for a food product or recyclable materials and is adaptable for a variety of commodities.

LMC is committed to delivering peanut processing systems and equipment to help peanut processors achieve maximum capacity and efficiency for their dollar. Originating from the rural peanut farms of South Georgia, LMC has become the world leader in peanut shellers and equipment for the peanut shelling process. LMC equipment is responsible for shelling 90 percent of the commercial peanut market. These machines are designed specifically to maximize processing speed along with separation effectiveness.

What makes LMC unique is the staff of peanut specialists that can design, build, deliver and install an entire peanut processing operation. From cleaning to separating, back to cleaning and shelling, LMC equipment can go through the entire process customized to the customer’s specifications. Also, by removing the lower-grade peanut prior to shelling, the end-produce will be of the best quality, yielding the ultimate monetary profit.

Below are some of the types of peanut processing systems LMC can design and build from the ground up. To learn about each, click here.

• Peanut Shellers
• Sizing Shakers
• Destoners
• Aspirators
• Peanut Blanchers
• Vibratory Conveyors
• Gravity Separators
• Easy Dump Elevators
• Air Gap Cleaners

With LMC’s large range of peanut customers, they have made contacts all across the globe including: South America, Australia, the Middle East, Europe and the Western United States including California.

Click the video below to learn more about LMC and the Lewis Carter Family.

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Georgia Peanut Tour attendees began Thursday morning at SunSouth in Donalsonville, Georgia. SunSouth, LLC formed in June 2006. Joining forces with several local tractor cornerstones, SunSouth began with 11 stores, and by 2016 grew to 21 locations in Alabama, Georgia and Mississippi. The SunSouth team prides itself on integrity, quality, commitment and innovation.

SunSouth representative, Russ Worsley, shows tour attendees a KMC digger.

During the stop, SunSouth employees discussed the different types of equipment farmers use to produce a crop of peanuts and the investment it requires. From John Deere tractors to peanut planting and harvesting equipment, as well as equipment to spray the crop when necessary, SunSouth offered tour attendees a chance to understand the cost associated with farming.

Tour attendees learn about the investment of an Amadas combine.

John Deere tractors are on display for tour attendees.

Below is a list of some of the equipment discussed and the estimated cost associated with each:

• John Deere 8R 280 – $360,000
• John Deere 8R 310 – $435,000
• John Deere 6 or 8 row planter – $50,000-$70,000 (depending on specs and technology)
• John Deere 12 row planter – $200,000
• John Deere See & Spray – $800,000+
• KMC Digger – $50,000
• KMC Dump Cart – $75,000
• Amadas Unload-on-the-Go Combine – $240,000

To put it into perspective, a farmer’s peanut yield would have to be near 4,500lbs per acre to breakeven at $535/ton.

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After enjoying lunch, the Georgia Peanut Tour attendees traveled a short drive up the road to learn more about the equipment farmers need and use in peanut production.

“We design and build farm and land development equipment to give our customers peace of mind that our products will always perform on demand no matter how demanding.” This is the mission statement of Harrell Ag Products, located in Bainbridge, Ga.

Brandon Ellerbee, Harrell Ag Sales Manager, visits with GPT attendees.

Since 1954, the Harrell Family has served the farming community with innovative products, service, parts and technical support that their customers expect and deserve. From land preparation to harvest, Harrell Ag has developed products to meet the farmer’s need every step of the way. In the late ’50s, they introduced the 4-Row Vada Cultivator frame, and in the ’60s and ’70s, they developed a line of cotton and peanut transport equipment, as well as on-farm crop drying equipment. Later in the 1980s and 1990s, cotton module builders, boll buggies and module feeder systems were added to their line up.

 

The on-land switch plow, which is still used around the world today, was patented by Harrell Ag. In the past 20 years, they have continued innovation by introducing new products like a crop chopper, cotton stalk puller and the rock-n-root rake.

 

 

 

With almost 75 years of manufacturing agricultural equipment, the team at Harrell Ag understands the needs of the farming community.

 

To learn more about their products, click here.

To locate a dealer near you, click here.

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