Summary Box: Wisconsin Farmers Testing Burley Tobacco

Source from:  Associated Press THE TREND Aug. 21, 2006 08/23/2006

There could be bigger tobacco yields on the way thanks to expanded opportunities to farmers in Wisconsin from companies like Philip Morris. THE CROP: Farmers have started tinkering with growing burley, the primary type of tobacco in cigarettes, along with the typical two types of Wisconsin tobaccos. Farmers nationwide significantly cut back growing burley when Congress passed the $10 billion dollar tobacco buyout in 2004. That ended price controls and allowed farmers to tinker with new products. THE HISTORY: Tobacco has a long history in Wisconsin, and Edgerton was once known as the "Tobacco Capital of the World" and boasted more than 50 tobacco warehouses that lined the main streets. Enditem