By Faith Peppers
University of
Georgia
Known as the “Father of Center-Pivot Irrigation” in Georgia,
Alvin Newton installed Georgia’s first center-pivot system in
1967. He led the way for the adoption of center-pivot
irrigation throughout Georgia as part of his tractor and farm
equipment business, Newton-Hamrick Company.
Newton’s accomplishments were recognized as he was inducted
into the Georgia
Agricultural Hall of Fame Sept. 16. The Hall of Fame is a
program of the University of Georgia College of Agricultural
and Environmental Sciences.
A native of Colquitt, Ga., Newton became interested in center-
pivot irrigation in 1965. When he installed his first system
in ’67, he photographed the effects of irrigated cropland
versus nonirrigated. He developed a slide presentation and
showed area farmers the advantages of irrigation. Many had said
irrigation wasn’t feasible.
He installed 12 systems in 1969 and doubled the number each
year for several years after that. Georgia now has more than
11,000 center-pivot systems.
Newton became a trusted information source between
manufacturers and farmers. He developed the first four-row
cultivator in south Georgia, helping growers cultivate crops
more efficiently. His innovative approach to irrigation led
John Deere to design and market the irrigation engine in
Georgia.
“In 1970, Alvin Newton started growing southern peas and
butterbeans for processing, a significant pioneering step, and
became Georgia’s largest vegetable producer,” said Frank
McGill, UGA professor emeritus in agronomy. “Thanks to this
pioneer of extraordinary foresight, in 1990, vegetables in
Georgia passed cotton and peanuts in farm-gate receipts.”
Besides his work with irrigation, Newton owned Green Circles
Farms, Inc. There, in the mid-70’s, he began planting sweet
corn and built southwest Georgia’s first hydro cooler to extend
the shelf life of sweet corn. This breakthrough allowed sweet
corn to be shipped throughout North America and Canada and
opened up the vegetable industry to Georgia.
Newton is recognized by UGA researchers and Extension vegetable
specialists as the forerunner of Georgia’s modern vegetable
industry. He shared his knowledge with them, hosting many tours
of his farm, packing shed and hydro-cooler. He became Georgia’s
largest vegetable grower and was honored by the American
Vegetable Grower Magazine with its “Top 100 Grower Award” in
1988 through 1991.
Newton received many awards. Among them were Georgia’s Money
Maker Peanut Club award for the state’s highest peanut yields
in 1984, ’86 and ’89. He was awarded the Bainbridge-Decatur
Chamber of Commerce Cotton Production Award (1985-87) for the
highest average yield in Decatur County in 1985, ’86 and ’87.
For his extraordinary achievements, Newton was awarded the T.
Hayden Rodgers Distinguished Agronomic Service Award by the UGA
Agronomy Department and the American Society of Agronomy. He is
the founding director and stockholder in the Peoples Community
Bank of Colquitt and is a member of the Miller County HERO
(Historic Economic Revitalization Organization).
