Bobby Walker Award

In November 2019, the Georgia Milk Producers Board of Directors voted to rename the "Friend of the Dairy Industry Award" to the "Bobby Walker Award". This change was made in honor of Bobby Walker's notable career, recognizing him as one of the most influential people of the Georgia dairy industry. Each year, Georgia Milk Producers presents the award to a dairy professional, farmer and/or company that is driving Georgia’s dairy industry toward a brighter future through leadership, advocacy and service.

Award Recipients

2022 - Jack Spruill

2021 - Barry Dye and Steve Smith

2020 - Dave Clark

2019 - Lewis Harrison

2018 - Earnest Turk

2017 - Cheryl Hayn

2016 - Jim Cumming

2015 - Billy O. Smith

2014 - Bruce McAvoy

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2013 - Sue Mosley

2012 - Peggy Gates

2011- Bobby Walker

2010- Dr. Bill Thomas

2009- Henry Cabaniss

2008- Linda Mayfield

2007- Zippy Duvall

2006- Bob Earle

2005- Wayne Dollar

2004- Dr. Larry Guthrie

2003- Dr. Joe West

Jack Spruill Honored with
2022 Bobby Walker Award

Jack Spruill - Jack is a native of Alpharetta, Georgia and was active in Future Farmers of America during high school, serving as state vice-president.  He graduated from the University of Georgia in 1974 with a degree in Animal Science.  

In 1975 he married Miss Adabeth Pirkle and then spent the next 19 years farming a diversified operation including dairy, hogs, and row crops in Hoschton, GA.  In the mid-1980s Jack started installing dairy equipment and went on to become a regional manager for DeLaval Inc.  Jack later moved to a position in the DeLaval Marketing division working the US, Canada, and Mexico and remained there for over 5 years.

Jack was hired in 2011 by the Georgia Department of Agriculture to serve as the director of the marketing division.  While in this position, he played a huge role in growing  the Georgia Grown brand and was the key person on making the Georgia Grown Baby Barn come to life for the 2018 Georgia National Fair.  Jack was the person that everyone came to for his wealth of agriculture and common sense knowledge on many things.  He retired from that role in 2020. Jack and his wife are members of First Baptist Church, Moultrie, GA.

Jack has three children, and eleven grandchildren, and currently grows hay and has a commercial beef herd in Colquitt County.