The Hudson Pecan Story

Farming has always come quite naturally to the Hudson family. As far back as the late 1700’s, our ancestors have been Georgia farmers. You can certainly say farming is “in our blood.” Our story began 150 years ago when Newt Hudson purchased land in Ocilla, Georgia, including a pecan orchard which is still farmed by our family today.

Two generations later, Newt Hudson III continued to farm this land and worked as a County Agricultural Agent. He began the first commercial production of pecans for the Hudson family, transforming 30 acres of orchards into more than 90 acres.

The love of farming and appreciation for what this land provides continued with his son, Dr. Randy Hudson. As part of his life’s work, Dr. Hudson has been instrumental in introducing this North American native nut to countries all over the world, making the Hudson Pecan Company one of the largest exporters of Georgia pecans!

Today, Scott Hudson, Randy’s oldest son, proudly runs the family business. Scott has planted more than 2,200 acres of pecan orchards and expanded our operation to the Hudson Pecan Company we know and love today.

Our Company Leadership

Dr. Randy Hudson, CEO

Randy is the current CEO of Hudson Pecan Company. Prior to taking over the family business in 2004, he worked for the University of Georgia, where he served 3 years as the Director for the Center for Emerging Crops and Technologies. Prior to that he worked for the university as an Extension Specialist responsible for statewide programs for grains, forages, and new crops. He has earned three degrees from the University of Georgia: a PhD in Entomology, an MS in Agronomy with an emphasis in Plant Science, and a BS in Soil Science.

Randy grew up on the family farm, working in the family business. He and his wife, Mary Jo, still live in Ocilla, Georgia along with their two sons and their families nearby. Randy Hudson is very active in the local community of Irwin County as well. Additionally, he serves as the Vice President of the National Pecan Growers Association and as the past President of the Georgia Pecan Growers Association.

Scott Hudson, President/CFO

As the President and CFO, Scott oversees all aspects of farming at Hudson Pecan. He has been with the company full-time since April 2010. Prior to that he served as Vice President of Student Services at Moultrie Technical College.

Scott took an interest in agribusiness at a young age, operating his own peach business when he was eight years old. Through the years he has helped with the management, harvest, and sales of the family pecan operations. He has earned a BBA and MBA from the University of Georgia, along with lifetime memberships in the Phi Kappa Phi and Beta Gamma Sigma honor societies.

Scott is a fifth generation family farmer. He lives in a nearby community with his wife, Haley, and their three children: Nate, Scout, and Shiver.

How Our Pecans are Grown and Harvested

Pecans are the only major tree nut native to North America, and the state of Georgia is one of the top producers of pecans today. Like any tree, a pecan tree starts off as a little sprout. Once mature, these beautiful trees can reach heights of 75-100 feet. The Hudson Pecan Company cultivates their orchards on more than 2,200 acres and processes more than five million pounds of pecans annually. The beautiful orchards surrounding Hudson Pecan Company continuously produce several varieties including Desirable Pecans - a variety favored for its well-branched trees, heavy yields, and large, round, shapely pecans.

The Hudson Pecan Company is located in Ocilla, Georgia where production takes place. The plant is fully operational and in full swing during pecan season, which runs from October through February. As the pecans mature in the fall, their husks darken to a light brown. There’s no climbing required when it’s time to harvest! Pecans naturally drop from the husks and fall to the ground once fully mature.

For large pecan farms, like Hudson Pecan, machinery is used to shake down the mature nuts. After the nuts dry for a few days, a crew gathers them into rows and harvesting machines scoop them up. Once harvested our pecans brought to the onsite Hudson Pecan plant to be cleaned, processed, and packaged. In the off season, Hudson Pecan Company continues operations in the sales division, always willing to provide fresh pecans from the recent harvest.

Today the Hudson Pecan Company and Hudson Pecan Farms is one of the larger pecan farms and processing companies in Georgia. The Hudson Pecan Company proudly ships high-quality in-shell and shelled pecans all over the United States and around the world!