Sixteen Mid-South cotton gins have won the Southern Cotton Ginners Association’s highest award for their safety programs.

The Platinum awards, for safety scores of 99.8-100, were presented at the association’s annual awards luncheon held during the Mid-South Farm & Gin Show.

Sixty-seven other awards were presented for outstanding safety program achievements.

“Our member gins are continually refining their safety programs,” says Larry Davis, SCGA safety director, “and it is reflected in the large number of high-scoring gins receiving awards this year.

“In addition to creating a safer workplace and eliminating accidents, many of our gins have seen significant reductions in their workman’s compensation insurance premium as a result of their safety measures.”

The SCGA provides a wide range of safety manuals, videos, posters, and other materials for gins to use, as well as conducting safety seminars throughout the year. Gins are inspected and rated on an extensive list of categories.

Platinum award winners for 2009 were: Pendleton Gin Co., Inc., Dumas, Ark.; McClendon, Mann & Felton Gin and McClendon, Mann & Felton Gin #6, Marianna, Ark.; Cotton Growers Inc., Dell, Ark.; Winchester Gin Co., Winchester, Ark.

Newellton Gin Co. Inc., Newellton, La.; Tanner & Company, Frogmore, La.; McNutt Gin Inc., Boyce, La.; Denton Gin Co. Inc., Shelby, Miss.; Silver Creek Gin Co., Holly Bluff, Miss.; Doolittle Gin Inc., Gore Springs, Miss.

B&B Cotton Co., Campbell, Mo.; Citizens Gin Div. of O.H. Acom Farms, Wardell, Mo.; Zion Gin, Brownsville, Tenn.; Farmers Gin of Humboldt, Humboldt, Tenn.; and Longtown Gin, Mason, Tenn.

Gold award winners, for a safety score of 99-6-99.79, were GPS Gin Co., Inc., Portland, Ark.; McGehee Producers Gin, McGehee, Ark.; Shawnee Village Gin LLC, Joiner, Ark.; Dumas Cotton Gin LLC, Dumas, Ark.; Tillar Gin & Fertilizer Co. LLC, Tillar, Ark.

Tri-Parish Gin Inc., Lettsworth, La.; Tensas Coop Gin Inc., Newellton, La.; Columbus Gin Assn., Shaw, Miss.; Hi Grade Gin Corp., Winona, Miss.; H.B. Hood & Sons Gin #2, Gunnison, Miss.; Mattson Gin Inc., Dublin, Miss.

Vaiden Farmers Gin, Vaiden, Miss.; Vance Gin Co., Vance, Miss.; Quito Gin Co., Itta Bena, Miss.; Sandy Ridge Cotton Co., Malden, Mo.; A.C. Riley Cotton Co. LLC, New Madrid, Mo.

McCord Gin North, Gideon, Mo.; DG&G Inc., Sikeston, Mo.; Burlison Gin Co. Inc., Burlison, Tenn.; Tennessee Gins & Warehouses, Covington, Tenn.; and Phoenix Gin Co., Tiptonville, Tenn.

Silver awards, for a safety score of 97-99.59, were Childress Gin & Elevator, Monette, Ark.; Keich-Shauver-Miller Gin, Monette, Ark.; New Gin Co. Inc., Coy, Ark.; South Franklin Gin Co., Wisner, La.

Avon Gin Inc., Avon, Miss.; Good Hope Gin Co. AAL, Tchula, Miss.; Eagle Lake Gin AAL, Vicksburg, Miss.; Portageville Farmers Gin, Portageville, Mo.; Dalton Cotton Co., Senath, Mo.; Stoddard County Cotton Co., Bernie, Mo.

Arp Cotton Gin Co. LLC, Ripley, Tenn.; L&H Gin Co., Alamo, Tenn.; Gift Gin, Covington, Tenn.; Cairo Farmers Gin LLC, Alamo, Tenn.; Crockett Mills Gin LLC, Crockett Mills, Tenn.; and Espey Gin Co. Inc., McLemoresville, Tenn.

Bronze awards, for a safety score of 94-96.9, were presented to Monette Coop Gin Inc., Monette, Ark.; W.B. deYampert Gin Trust, Wilmot, Ark.; Taylor Stuckey & Patteson Gin, Truman, Ark.; Alvin Samuel Gin Co., Paragould, Ark.

New Peoples Gin Co. Inc., Holly Grove, Ark.; Senter & Sons Gin Inc., Osceola, Ark.; Pipkin Gin Co., Sherrill, Ark.; Boeuf Prairie Gin Inc., Ft. Necessity, La.; Farmers Gin Co. Inc., Gilbert, La.; Armistead Gin Co. Inc., Coushatta, La.

Concordia Farmers Gin, Ferriday, La.; Grundfest & Klaus Gin, Cary, Miss.; Yocona Gin, Batesville, Miss.; Associated Producers Gin, Rolling Fork, Miss.; Tunica Gin Corp., Tunica, Miss.; Gaddis & McLaurin Gin, Bolton, Miss.; Big Creek Gin Co. Inc., Lyon, Miss.

Farmers Union Gin Co. & Warehouse Inc., Senath, Mo.; Crowder Gin Co. Inc., Sikeston, Mo.; Cardwell Coop Gin Inc., Cardwell, Mo.; White Oak Gin Co. Inc., Malden, Mo.; Stokes-Mayberry Gin Co. Inc., Malden, Mo.; Hickory Valley Gin, Hickory Valley, Tenn.; and Union Gin Co. Inc., Brownsville, Tenn.

The Most Improved Gin Safety Award for the SCGA was presented to R.D. Hughes Gin Co., Blytheville, Ark. Winners of state Most Improved Gin Safety Awards were Rayville Producers Inc., Rayville, La.; Cary Ginnery, Cary, Miss.; Mahan Gin, Parma, Mo.; and Two Way Gin Co. Inc., Brownsville, Tenn.