Raybon Anderson

Georgia Agricultural Hall of Fame

Raybon Anderson

Described as a steward and ambassador of the state’s No. 1 industry, Raybon Anderson was raised on a farm in Nevils, a small community southwest of Statesboro in Bulloch County. Just months after graduating from Bulloch County High School in 1956, Anderson joined the U.S. Department of Agriculture, building a strong network of agricultural leaders across the county, in surrounding areas and throughout the  state. 

In 1963, he founded Bulloch Fertilizer Inc. to provide local producers with all their agricultural needs, from fertilizer and agricultural chemicals to services and livestock products, in one location. From the beginning he has followed the simple advice his grandfather gave him when he started the business, “Be honest. Be sincere. Always serve your customer with a smile. Always do what you tell them you’re going to do.”

The company has garnered loyal customers over 60 years of operation, expanding to offer products and services to support the turfgrass market, an innovation introduced by Raybon Anderson’s son, Mike Anderson — a 1987 agricultural economics graduate from CAES — who joined his father in the business. In 2007, Anderson founded Anderson’s General Store, a retail operation supporting Bulloch Fertilizer Company and the community. Throughout this time, Anderson also has served as a “partner, investor and mentor” to numerous Georgia entrepreneurs.