Tobacco Growers Hopeful for Crop

Source from:  By Jason Dooley, jdooley@bgdailynews.com 08/09/2004

Infections brought on by rainy season may not prove fatal; quota buyout effort presses on Unusually wet conditions have handicapped this season's tobacco crop, but farmers say they are confident in a fairly strong yield as harvest time approaches. Blue mold and blackshank, two fungal infections, have been significant problems for some farmers because of the unusually high amount of rainfall, said Joanna Coles, agriculture extension agent for Warren County. "We had some incidents of blue mold early in the season, but overall I think we're going to be OK in yield," Coles said. "We had a lot of problems with blackshank, and the wet weather really promoted that, which took away part of the yield and what we can harvest." Other areas of the state were hit harder than southcentral Kentucky, she said. "I think we're going to see about the same yield as last year, although it might be a little lower," Coles added. "It's still a little early to say what the prices will be like, but I would guess they'll be about the same as last year." The most recent state crop weather report, issued by the Kentucky Agricultural Statistics Service on Aug. 2, says 47 percent of the tobacco in the state was reported "good," while another 15 percent was considered "excellent." State Rep. Roger Thomas, who raises tobacco on his farm near Smiths Grove, said direct contract prices for tobacco this year were about the same as last year's, suggesting similar results for those farmers who sell their tobacco at auctions, rather than directly to a contracted company. "I would anticipate that there won't be a lot of difference in the price this year," said Thomas, D-Smiths Grove. "The prices seem to be pretty stable." A combination of inclement spring weather and Thomas' duties in the state legislature caused him to be a little late getting his crop in the field this year, so he won't begin harvesting for a few more weeks. "Our crop here on our farm is late this time, but it looks good," he said. "We've actually had too much rain for a perfect year, but the crop will still be a good one." Heavy rains throughout the summer and particularly in the past few weeks have wreaked havoc for many farmers, leading to increased problems with fungal infections in some areas and to waterlogged crops in others, said Morgantown's Sam Moore, president of Kentucky Farm Bureau. In Butler County, blue mold and blackshank didn't present the problems they did in other parts of the state, but many farmers' crops have suffered significantly from water damage, Moore said. "There's parts of the state that have been hit hard by the diseases and there's some that have some of the best tobacco I've ever seen," he said. "Here in Butler County, there's some really good tobacco and then there's some that hasn't done as well because of all the rain." In Logan County, many farmers saw a sharp increase in expenses this year while fighting the fungal infections in their crops, Logan County Agriculture Extension Agent Chris Milam said. "It's been a challenging year as far as overcoming the blue mold and blackshank problems for a lot of farmers," Milam said. "But in the end, if the crop is less this year than last year, I don't think it will be significantly less." Even as farmers prepare to harvest, many are hopeful that a proposed buyout plan for the federally subsidized quota system will pass Congress this session. Thomas met last week with farmers from across the state and staffers for U.S. Reps. Anne Northrup, R-Ky., and Elizabeth Dole, R-N.C., and all were optimistic about the possibility for a plan, he said. "Both of them seemed to think that a buyout plan will be passed before this session adjourns, and I think most farmers are in support of it," Thomas said. "It's hard to gauge how much support there is until you know the details, but I would say the general notion of a buyout, 80 percent to 90 percent of the farmers I know are supportive." Buyout bills have been passed overwhelmingly by both the House and Senate, and Moore said the bills are likely to go to a conference committee to iron out the kinks once Congress reconvenes following the August recess. "I think we're closer to a buyout than we've ever been before," Moore said. "I don't think there's any question about that." For farmers, the buyout offers a way out from under lease prices that have grown steeply in the past few years, while tobacco companies would be able to purchase American-grown tobacco at more competitive rates following the buyout, Thomas said. "I think it would be a benefit to everybody involved," he said. "It's something we really need." Enditem