On Tuesday January 26, 2016 at the Chamber of Commerce Banquet I had the honor of presenting Mr. Charles Davis with the Excellence in Agriculture Award.
The speech from Tuesday night:
“Tonight’s winner has been very active the community. He was one of the original charter members of the Piney Woods Cattleman’s Association, has been Vice President ever since it started, and he’s been instrumental in getting sponsors and information for programs and cooking meals. He also helped with the region 15 heifer sale which raised money for the local Cattleman’s association.
He’s a member of the Appling County Young Farmers where he served as president, was on the Executive board and was the Truck and Tractor Pull Awards/Officer. He also helped for several years with the Sunbelt Expo Que fest.
From 1972 to 1999 he worked at Goldkist as a Spreader truck driver and warehouse person and was Manager of several stores before retiring. From 1999-2008 he was the Branch Farm Supply Manager. In 2008 he became co-owner and Manager of Appling Ag and is currently Manager and a salesman at CPS.
He has a top quality beef cattle herd, buys bulls according to their EPD’s, is very knowledgeable about genetics, retains top heifers, buys top quality bulls from the bull test at UGA, and he’s helped other buyers pick out bulls.
Tonight’s winner has been a major asset to the Agriculture Industry for over 40 years. He has a profound Knowledge of chemicals and fertilizer and their effect on crop production. He remains focused on maximizing outcomes in the Ag Industry. He frequently participates in test plots to gain insight on the products he recommends and stands on quality and customer service. He regularly attends UGA Extension meetings and industry meetings to gain knowledge on the crops he works with. While he was co-owner at Appling Ag and now as manager of CPS, the two businesses have always been big supporters and sponsors of Extension meetings. These meetings help farmers learn the most up to date information.
Our winner has a natural talent of what works and what doesn’t. He uses his own experience and UGA Extension information to provide recommendations to growers and cattleman alike. He is a strong leader and his pleasant demeanor affords him the ability to develop positive relationships within the community and everywhere he goes. His honesty and dependability is such that it gives true definition to the statement, “a man of his word”.
He’s never hesitated to call me with questions and to discuss different things a farmer was having problems with. When there’s an ag salesman I never hear from and that never ask questions, I get extremely nervous about that. But, he always wants to make sure he’s making the correct recommendations, and it says a lot to me, because he’s been in the business longer than I’ve been on this earth. He has the experience and knowledge, but still, the most important thing to him is that he helps a farmer even if it means he doesn’t sell something. I’m employed by UGA Extension and Appling County and my job is to conduct and provide researched based unbiased information on various crops and topics. But, once I make a recommendation to a farmer or salesman, I’m not the one that sales the product. It’s nice to know that the salesman on the other side of the desk cares more about people than just making a dollar. Integrity is very important and I have a great deal of respect for this man.
He was born in June of 1954 in Appling Co. He went to Appling Co. High School and South Georgia College. He’s the youngest of five children. He and his wife Pamela have two children, seven grandchildren and one great grandchild. He’s a member of Satilla Baptist Church.
He’s also a pretty good fisherman. When I first came to Appling County he took me fishing. I thought that was great, because I was fishing with a local Agbusinessman. So, when someone called me I just told them I was in a meeting. I hear he’s retiring in December, so I hope he’ll have a little more time to fish, because I could use a few more of those meetings.
I asked a local farmer to sum up tonight’s winner in one sentence and this is what he said; “He’s a community oriented, knowledgeable, Christian person who tries to do right by his fellow man with the interest of the people of Appling County in mind and he’s also a friend.”
Please join me in congratulating the Excellence in Agriculture winner, Mr. Charles Davis.”