TIFTON, Georgia– Armond Morris, peanut farmer from Ocilla, Ga., was elected chairman of the Georgia Peanut Commission during the January monthly board meeting. This is Morris’ fourth term as chairman of the commission. He has also served as chairman of the board previously in 1996, 1997 and in 2003.

“I look forward to serving Georgia’s peanut growers as chairman in 2005,” says Armond Morris, chairman of the Georgia Peanut Commission. “We have many events planned this year in peanut promotions and will continue to work for the farmer’s best interest in legislative matters.”

Other officers elected during the board meeting include Joe Boddiford, Sylvania, Ga., as vice chairman and Rodney Dawson, Hawkinsville, Ga., as treasurer.

Board members Jimmy Cheney, Edison, Ga. and Donald Chase, Oglethorpe, Ga. represent District 1 and District 5, respectively. The peanut producing counties of Georgia are divided into five districts in which peanut farmers elect a representative to serve on the Georgia Peanut Commission board.

District 1: Baker, Calhoun, Decatur, Dougherty, Early, Grady, Miller, Mitchell and Seminole counties

District 2: Atkinson, Ben Hill, Berrien, Brooks, Coffee, Colquitt, Cook, Echols, Irwin, Lanier, Lowndes, Thomas, Tift, Turner and Worth counties

District 3: Appling, Bacon, Bryan, Bulloch, Burke, Candler, Effingham, Emanuel, Evans, Glascock, Jeff Davis, Jefferson, Jenkins, Johnson, Montgomery, Pierce, Richmond, Screven, Tattnall, Toombs, Treutlen, Washington counties

District 4: Bleckley, Crisp, Dodge, Dooly, Houston, Laurens, Pulaski, Telfair, Twiggs, Wheeler, Wilcox, Wilkinson counties

District 5: Chattahoochee, Clay, Lee, Macon, Marion, Peach, Quitman, Randolph, Schley, Stewart, Sumter, Talbot, Taylor, Terrell, Webster counties