Seventeen Mid-South cotton gins received platinum awards — the highest given by the Southern Cotton Ginners Association — for their safety programs in 2009.

They, and winners of gold, silver, and bronze awards, were honored at a special gin safety luncheon at the Mid-South Farm & Gin Show at Memphis.

“Platinum award winners are the cream of the crop when it comes to going the extra mile for safety,” says Larry Davis, SCGA safety director. “They make safety an important part of daily activities.”

A score of 99.8 percent to 100 percent is required to earn a platinum award, Davis notes. The ranking is based on an extensive evaluation of gin safety procedures, as well as unannounced inspections.

The association provides a broad array of safety materials, videos, and training options to member gins.

Winners of the platinum award for excellence for 2009 were:

Arkansas — Griffin Gins, Inc., Helena; Round Lake Co-op Gin, Grady; Winchester Gin Co., Winchester; Cotton Growers, Inc., Dell; McGehee Producers Gin, McGehee; Pendleton Gin Co., Inc., Dumas.

Louisiana — McNutt Gin, Inc., Boyette; Tensas Co-op Gin, Inc., Newellton; Tanner & Co., Frogmore.

Mississippi — Silver Creek Gin Co., Holly Bluff.

Missouri — Farmers Union Gin Co. and Warehouse, Senath; B&B Cotton Co., Campbell; White Oak Gin, White Oak; Citizens Gin Division of O.H. Acorn Farms, Wardell.

Tennessee — Farmers Gin of Humboldt, Humboldt; Phoenix Gin Co., Tiptonville; Espey Gin Co., Inc., Huntingdon.

All award winners scored at least 94 percent on their evaluations, Davis notes. “A bronze award is 94 percent to 96.9 percent, which is an A or better in anyone’s book. All these gins are constantly striving to fine-tune their programs and earn the higher awards.”

Silver awards require a score of 97 percent to 99.5 percent and gold awards a score of 99.6 percent to 99.7 percent.

Winners of gold awards for excellence were:

Arkansas — Shawnee Village Gin LLC, Joiner; McClendon Mann & Felton Gin, Hughes; McClendon Mann & Felton Gin, Marianna; GPS Gin Co., Portland; Tillar Gin and Fertilizer Co. LLC, Tillar.

Louisiana — McNutt Gin, Inc., Boyce; Tensas Co-op Gin, Newellton; Tanner & Co., Frogmore.

Mississippi — Hi Grade Gin Corp., Winona; Associated Producers Gin, Rolling Fork; Quito Gin Co., Itta Bena; Doolittle Gin, Inc., Gore Springs; Vaiden Farmers Gin, Vaiden; Tunica Gin Corp., Tunica; Columbus Gin Association, Shaw; H.B. Hood and Sons Gin, Gunnison.

Missouri — D G & G, Inc., Parma; A.C. Riley Cotton Co. LLC, New Madrid; Stokes-Mayberry Gin Co., Inc., Malden.

Tennessee — Arp Cotton Gin Co. LLC, Ripley; Phoenix Gin Co., Tiptonville; Espey Gin Co., Inc., Huntingdon.

Winners of silver awards for excellence were:

Arkansas — New Gin Co., Inc., Coy; Kiech-Shauver-Miller Gin, Monette; Alvin Samuel Gin, Paragould; Taylor Stuckey & Patteson Gin, Trumann; Dumas Cotton Gin LLC, Dumas; Childress Gin & Elevator, Monette; R.D. Hughes Gin Co., Blytheville.

Louisiana — Concordia Farmers Gin, Ferriday; Lagniappe Cotton Gin LLC, Hamburg; South Franklin Gin, Wisner.

Mississippi — Mattson Gin, Inc., Dublin; Good Hope Gin Co., Tchula; Four County Gin, Inc., Calhoun City; Avon Gin, Inc., Avon.

Missouri — McCord Gin North, Gideon; Sandy Ridge Cotton Co., Malden; Portageville Farmers Gin, Portageville; Dalton Cotton Co., Senath.

Tennessee — L&H Gin Co., Alamo; Burlison Gin Co., Inc., Burlison; Cairo Farmers Gin LLC, Alamo; Tennessee Gins & Warehouse, Covington; Crockett Mills Gin LLC, Crockett Mills; Crockett Gin Co. LLC, Maury City.

Winners of bronze awards for excellence were:

Arkansas — Senter & Sons Gin, Inc., Osceola; Willow Gin LLC, Wilson; Portland Gin & Warehouse, Portland; Delta Cotton Cooperative, Inc., Marmaduke; Langston Gin Co., Luxora; Lindsey Brothers Gin, Caldwell; RHM Gin & Warehouse, Marked Tree, Monette Co-op Gin, Inc., Monette.

Louisiana — Associated Producers Co-op, Winnsboro; Madision East Carroll Gin Assn., Sondheimer; Farmers Gin Co., Inc., Gilbert.

Mississippi — Gaddis & McLaurin Gin, Bolton; Vance Gin Co., Clarksdale; Bobo-Moseley Co., Lyon; Carroll Gin, Inc., Holly Bluff; Wildwood Gin, Inc., Greenwood.

Missouri — Caruthersville Gin, Caruthersville; Crowder Gin Co., Inc., Sikeston; Bootheel Cotton Co., Matthews; Graves Kennett Gin, Inc., Kennett; Stoddard County Cotton Co., Bernie.

Tennessee — Halls Gin Co., Halls; Tibbs Gin Co. No. 2, Brownsville; Tibbs Gin Co., Brownsville; Hickory Valley Gin, Hickory Valley.

Awards for the most improved gin safety programs were given for the SCGA and for the state associations.

Yorkville Gin Co., Yorkville, Tenn., was the winner of the overall award for the SCGA and for the state of Tennessee. Other state most improved winners were Good Luck Co-op Gin, Marvell, Ark.; Farmers Gin of Tallulah, Tallulah, La.; Bowdre Gin Co., Robinsonville, Miss.; and Peach Orchard Gin Co., Gideon, Mo.

e-mail: [email protected]