Bronwood, Ga., farmer Ronnie Lee was presented with the Southern Cotton Growers Producer Recognition Award during the closing session of the Southern Cotton Growers-Southeastern Cotton Ginners Association annual meeting Jan. 21 at the Marriott Myrtle Beach Grand Dunes in Myrtle Beach, S.C.

“This is the highest award this organization gives. The award was created in recognition of a cotton grower that has gone beyond the call of duty in the promotion of the cotton industry,” said Allen McLaurin, a Laurinburg, N.C., cotton farmer and a past president of Southern Cotton Growers.

Since its inception in 1989, the award has been presented 16 times. Previous winners are Marshall Grant, Bobby Webster, Sykes Martin, Billy Carter, Hamill McNair, Tom Ingram, David Burns, Louie Perry, Ronnie Fleming, Hollis Isbell, Jimmy Sanford, Bob McLendon, Frank Rogers, Mike Tate, Jim Ferguson, and Jerry Hamill,

The 2023 award was presented to Ronnie Lee “in appreciation of his dedicated leadership of quality cotton production in the Southeast.” McLaurin credited Lee for demonstrating true leadership.

Lee is the managing partner of Lee Farms. His three sons, Ron, Chandler and Neal, and wife Sheila are all involved in the farming operation and family business. The family grows cotton, peanuts, small grains, pecans, hay and cattle. They own and operate McClesky Cotton Company, a ginning and warehousing operation with locations in Bronwood, Ga., and Albany, Ga., Lee is also an airline pilot.

Lee is a past president and chairman of Southern Cotton Growers. He served as National Cotton Council chairman in 2017, was a National Cotton Council delegate from 2003 to 2016 and served as a National Cotton Council director in 2015 and was the National Cotton Council’s vice chairman. He served as American Cotton Producers vice chairman, representing the Southeast and served as a director of Cotton Incorporated. He was appointed by President George Bush and President Barack Obama to Farm Service Agency’s Georgia State Committee. He is the 2010 Farm Press High Cotton Award winner.

“This industry and the ag industry have been so good to me. I have been blessed to have good people working for me, good family, my sons, all of the friends, especially in this industry. It takes a lot of support, but I love all of y’all. I love this industry. The leaders in this industry have been so good to me. I didn’t plan any of it. I had mentors, and I thank them,” Lee said in accepting the award.