2026 Georgia General Election

Brian Ponder

Pavel Tantchev

Brian is a 4th generation farmer from Tift County. Brian still lives on the original farm that his great grandfather moved to in 1884 which began as just 96 acres.

Brian Ponder of Tift County Receives National Award for Conservation Efforts

Brian Ponder of Tift County Receives National Award for ...

February 14, 2023: Brian Ponder, co-owner of Pond-O-Gold Farms and Brian and Ken Ponder Farms located in Omega, Georgia has been named the 2022 Friend of Conservation by the National Association of Conservation Districts (NACD) for his outstanding contributions to natural resource conservation.

The farm has been in the family for 138 years and the Ponders still find something to do every year to try and make it more productive while taking care of it. He and his family farm, what is now, 3000 acres of peanuts, cotton, corn, watermelons, pecans, and pine timber. His farm embodies a "commitment to conservation" including reduction of water usage and erosion control through strip tillage.

Brian Ponder is a co-owner of Pond-O-Gold Farms and Brian and Ken Ponder Farms in Omega, Georgia. He and his family farm 3,000 acres of peanuts, cotton, corn, watermelons, pecans, and pine timber.

He and his brother have since implemented a variety of NRCS EQIP and CSP practices such as waterway management, terracing, and drain tile systems to improve soil health and conserve water. He has served as a District Supervisor for the Middle South Georgia Soil and Water Conservation District since 2002.

Brian Ponder of Tift County and Tom Sumners of Lee County Re-Elected to GACD Board

Who Are My SWCD Supervisors? | Georgia Soil and Water Conservation Commission

Brian has served as a District Supervisor for the Middle South Georgia Soil and Water Conservation District since 2002.

As of October 15, 2026, Brian Ponder’s website did not contain information on this issue.

Administration

Implements strip-tillage, cover crops, terraces, waterways, and drainage practices to reduce erosion, improve soil health, and conserve water.

His father was the first in the area to utilize USDA-Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) and saw the benefits of erosion prevention. He and his brother have since implemented a variety of NRCS EQIP and CSP practices such as waterway management, terracing, and drain tile systems to improve soil health and conserve water.

Soil health, conserving water, and reducing diesel emissions are a few of the factors that go into the management of his farm. All of the peanuts and cotton on the farm are strip-tilled into cover crops which reduces soil disturbance and erosion. Additionally, they are working towards getting all cover crops in without any tillage. He utilizes the installation of terraces and waterways to reduce erosion and has even helped other local farmers with installing terraces and waterways.

All of the peanuts and cotton on the farm are strip-tilled into cover crops which reduces soil disturbance and erosion. Additionally, they are working towards getting all cover crops in without any tillage. He utilizes the installation of terraces and waterways to reduce erosion and has even helped other local farmers with installing terraces and waterways.

Uses low-pressure irrigation equipment and electric pumping systems to reduce water use and improve irrigation efficiency.

In terms of conserving water, all of their irrigation systems have drop nozzle technology, regulators, are low pressure, and almost all have been converted from diesel pumping systems to electricity. All of these measures are to help reduce water usage and to improve efficiency.

Uses chicken litter and gin trash as organic fertilizers on his farm.

All of these measures are to help reduce water usage and to improve efficiency. He also uses organic matters for fertilizers such as chicken litter and gin trash.

Environment

Budget

- The Georgia Soil and Water Conservation Commission was established in the 1930s after the Georgia Dust Bowl. 
- The Commission is in charge of conserving, improving, and protecting Georgia's natural resources, with a focus on soil and water. They run water quality improvement projects, operate and maintain dams, and conduct inspections anytime someone needs to conduct any land-disturbing activities.
- District Supervisors are responsible for providing local representation. District Supervisors work with the Georgia Soil & Water Conservation Commission and the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service to voice their local county needs.
- District Supervisors hold monthly meetings in their counties where citizens can give input on local resource priorities from state and federal assistance programs. 
- Each county is represented by at least two district supervisors, one appointed and one elected. SWCD Managers are unpaid. 

Works to ensure the conservation of your county’s natural resources