Nineteen Midsouth cotton gins earned the Diamond award for Excellence in Safety for 2021/ 2022.The Diamond Award is given to those gins that earn the Platinum Award for 5 years in a row and continue to maintain the highest safety ranking by the Southern Cotton Ginners Association.

“Congratulations to the gins and their employees who make safety a priority,” says William Lindamood, Safety Director at SCGA. The Gin Safety Committee continues work to decrease accident rates and prevent loss of life.”

The work the Midsouth gin did to implement the SCGA safety program reduced accidents, lowered insurance costs and increased efficiencies of Mid-South cotton gins. SCGA also helped recommend COVID-19 protocols.

Twenty-three gins received Platinum awards, 8 received Gold awards, 21 received Silver awards, and 7 received Bronze awards. “There were no reportable deaths during the 2021 ginning season,” said Lindamood. “Gins reduced lost time accidents even as many continued to run into 2022."

SOUTHERN COTTON GINNERS ASSOCIATION EXCELLENCE IN SAFETY AWARD WINNERS 2021

Arkansas

Diamond: Black Oak Gin Co. Inc., Black Oak; GPS Gin Co. Inc., Portland; Kiech-Shauver-Miller Gin Co., Monette; Portland Gin & Warehouse, Inc., Portland; Senter & Sons Gin LLC, Osceola. Platinum: Childress Gin & Elevator Co., Inc, Monette; Lee Wilson and Company LLC, Wilson; McClendon Mann & Felton Gin, Brickeys; McClendon Mann & Felton Gin, Marianna; McGehee Producers Gin, McGehee; Taylor Gin Co., Gould. Gold: Graves Gin Corporation, Rector. Silver: Adams Land Company, Leachville; Crittenden Gin Company, Crawfordsville; Langston Enterprises, Inc., Blytheville; Coop Gin, Monette; Rabbit Ridge Gin & Whse., Dyess; W.B. deYampert Gin, Wilmot. Bronze: Service Cooperative Gin Co. Inc., Marvell.

Louisiana

Diamond: Catavoy Cotton Gin, LLC, Jonesville; Tensas Co-op Gin, Inc., Newellton; Tri-Parish Gin, LLC, Lettsworth. Platinum: McNutt Gin Inc., Boyce; Rapides Grant Gin II, Boyce; Tanner & Co., Frogmore. Silver: Carroll Gin LLC, Epps; Planters Gin Company, Newellton; Rayville Producers, Inc., Rayville. Bronze: Farmers Gin of Tallulah Inc., Tallulah.

Mississippi

Diamond: Avon Gin Inc., Avon; Bogue Chitto Gin, Macon; Silver Creek Gin Co., Holly Bluff; Yalobusha County Gin Company, Inc., Coffeeville. Platinum: Farmers Gin, Inc. of Hamilton, Hamilton; Four County Gin Inc., Calhoun City; Gaddis & McLaurin Gin, Bolton; Hi Grade Gin Corp., Winona; Quito Gin Company, Itta Bena; Yazoo Planters Gin Co., Yazoo City. Gold: Bobo Moseley Gin Company, Lyon; Tunica Gin Corp., Tunica. Silver: Greenwood Gin Inc., Greenwood; Grundfest & Klaus Gin, Cary; North Delta Gin LLC, Marks. Bronze: Como Consolidated Gin Co., Inc., Como; Issaquena S. Washington Gin Inc., Glen Allan; Midnight Gin Co. Inc., Midnight; Three Way Gin, Tunica.

Missouri

Diamond: A.C. Riley Cotton Co., Inc., New Madrid; Bernie Farmers Gin, Malden; Blakemore Cotton & Grain LLC, Campbell; Caruthersville Gin, Caruthersville. Platinum: Dalton Cotton Company, Senath; Graves Kennett Gin, White Oak; McCord Gin Company, Gideon; Sandy Ridge Cotton Co. LLC, Malden. Gold: 4-Way Gin, Senath; Bootheel Cotton Co., Matthews. Silver: Crowder Gin Co., Sikeston; Farmers Union Gin & Warehouse Co. Inc., Senath; Mahan Gin Co. LLC, Parma; Richardson Gin, Inc., Marston; Stokes-Mayberry Gin Co., Inc., Malden; Vanduser Gin Co., Inc., Vanduser. Bronze: Cooter Cotton Gin, Holland.

Tennessee

Diamond: Cairo Farmers Gin, LLC, Alamo; Espey Gin Co., McLemoresville; Longtown Gin, Mason. Platinum: Burlison Gin Company, Inc., Burlison; Crockett Gin Co. LLC, Maury City; Farmers Gin of Humboldt, Humboldt; Halls Gin Company, Halls. Gold: Crockett Mills Gin, LLC, Crockett Mills; Hickory Valley Gin, Hickory Valley; Union Gin Co. Inc., Brownsville. Silver: Bemis Gin LLC, Jackson; Phoenix Gin Co., Tiptonville; Two Way Gin Co., Inc., Brownsville.

Safety committee members are Kevin Watts, Arkansas, chairman; Tom Calloway, Louisiana; Bill Newsom, Mississippi; Jeff Lindsey, Missouri; and James Wages, Tennessee.

“These men provide guidance leading to over-all improvements in our safety program,” Lindamood said. “A great deal of work and dedication is required by all Mid-South gins to earn these awards.”