FROSTS FINISH OFF MOST REMAINING FLUE-CURED

Really ripe: Flue-cured leaf grown at the Oxford, N.C., tobacco research station cures in a traditional furnace-and-flue barn on the grounds of the North Carolina State Fair. The leaf was grown to reach maturity on October 16 and was overripe. Volunteer teams tied the green leaf on sticks in the Fair's annual stringing contest.

Killing frosts in the Southside of Virginia on October 18 and 19 brought an end to the tobacco season for nearly all the state. "There is very little left that we can pull and harvest now," said David Reed, Virginia Extension tobacco specialist. After several years when the first killing frost fell relatively late, these occurred at what is about the historical average date, if not a little earlier. "But the severity of the frost was the problem more than the timing," says Reed. "There were temperatures as low as 26 degrees." His best guess is that about 400 barns of flue-cured were lost, maybe 1¼ million pounds. That would be about two percent of the expected Virginia flue-cured crop.

There were frosts and freezes in North Carolina, too, that ended the growing season for many flue-cured growers. But there will be more still harvested and cured than in Virginia. "Sunday, Monday morning and a little on Tuesday morning, we had temperatures in much of the state of 27 and 28 degrees," says Matthew Vann, N.C. Extension tobacco specialist. That was the case almost everywhere that tobacco is grown in the state, with the exception of southeastern N.C. It is unclear how much flue-cured will still be harvested. "As of Monday, October 12, it appeared that at least 10 percent was left in the field, but now, 10 days later and with the cold weather, I could only guess that maybe five percent is still out there," says Vann.

A team strings flue-cured leaves on a stick in a
contest at the N.C. State Fair.

It was a difficult season. In Oxford, N.C., north of Raleigh, it started off wet, then

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turned dry. "When we started harvest, the ground leaves were not good at all," says Carl Watson, tobacco research specialist with the N.C. Department of Agriculture tobacco research station in  Oxford.  "We started irrigating, trying to get the sap back into the leaves." The second and third pullings cured better, but then the rain started falling late. "The crop took up fertilizer and it turned green. "Now he is trying to catch up. There is still a lot in the field. "I have filled all the barns we have," he says. "I need one more, and I don't have it. Other than that, the only effect of the rains (around October 1) was that we had to sit out a week without harvesting"...Watson and his staff grew the leaf used in the stringing contest at the N.C. State Fair October 16. "We kept that tobacco alive by watering it a lot. Extra nitrogen would have been a strategy but we didn't need it." 

In the state hardest hit by raining and flooding at the beginning of October, Ben Teal of Patrick, S.C., whose farm is in northern S.C., expected to finish harvest on October 16. He had one more barn in the field at that time. "It was a very late harvest, and then we got all that rain, maybe nine inches here. Fortunately, the majority of the crop was in barns when the flood came. About 10 barns of my tobacco was still in the field at that time." On those fields, half the stalk was still out there--the third and fourth croppings. He lost two to three barns as a result of all the water. "It was very hard to harvest," he says. "I had five tractors bogged up trying to harvest last week." He harvests by hand. "I usually pull two boxes down the sled row. But I had to do with just one after the rains." When leaf started pouring out of the fields after it finally dried up, barn capacity proved inadequate. "One of my neighbors has a lot left in the field and not enough barn space to cure it all," Teal says. "I'm letting him use three of my barns to keep his harvesters rolling." But it has been a tough year, he says. "It's the worst since I took over this farm. I've made good pounds, but the quality is poor. The grades were just not there." It wasn't just the rain. "We had extensive heat earlier. The leaf was sunbaked from the high temperatures."

Tobacco harvest is complete in the Owensboro, Ky., area where Rod Kuegel grows dark and burley. "It is all is in the barns," he says. "Larger growers have started stripping. The quality is decent, but the weight is off considerably. Burley may be down 20 to 25 percent. The dark types are not down as far but are still reduced, maybe 15 to 20 percent." The weather was a big problem all season. "We had two extremes--very, very wet and very, very dry. It was wet till August, but then there was no more rain after that. I was very concerned about our burley, but everything we have stripped has looked good so far."

OPINION

TPP: Why some think tobacco growers should favor it

The Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP)--the multinational trade treaty--has been signed by negotiators from all the nations involved in its creation. But it still must be approved by Congress, and tobacco-state legislators have vowed to oppose it because it would leave cigarette manufacturers little protection against regulation. This has exasperated many in Washington, including Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack, who can't understand why anyone would oppose it. "The challenge is to make sure they fully understand that tariffs are being eliminated on tobacco, which will expand opportunity for our producers to sell to Japan, to the Malaysian market, to the Vietnamese market. Market access is going to be greater. (As to the carveout), it's simply an acknowledgement of what already exists, that there are a number of public health laws in countries that have to be respected. That is not much different than what we have in the United States. What is (being) lost in this conversation is that tariffs are being eliminated on tobacco products so for producers in the U.S. there is greater market access."

TPP: Why some think tobacco growers should oppose it

Roger Quarles, a Georgetown, Ky., burley grower, explains why the carve out could be very damaging to tobacco growers: "The Trans Pacific Partnership will damage the ability of the purchasers of our burley to protect their market share in affected countries. The tobacco product manufacturers have invested heavily in creating trademark brands that use our burley. They deserve every legal right to protect the identity of those brands. Our tobacco growers' sales depend on the good fortune of our purchasers. Public-health policies in some countries are targeted at American blend cigarettes with little sound science to support those policies. Poorly disguised attempts in the name of social health reforms will create a precedent to eliminate trade in several other of our agricultural commodities, all in the name of improving public health. Any consumer who has decided to enjoy tobacco products is doing so knowing all the risks. We should not accept having the playing field tilted against us."

DATES TO REMEMBER

• December 3. N.C. Tobacco Day 2015. Johnston County Extension Center, 2736 N.C. Hwy. 210, Smithfield, N.C. Starting time to be announced.

A TORRENTIAL END TO A TOUGH GROWING SEASON

After the deluge: This flue-cured grower in the N.C. Piedmont near Winston-Salem had trouble completing combining after late-season rains. "All crops that were either ready for harvest or being harvested are in a state of decline due to the length of it raining," said Robin Watson, NCDA regional agronomist stationed in Burlington. How much South Carolina tobacco was lost to the flood? The small amount (all flue-cured) that remained in the field when the storm complex arrived on October 1 is now probably a complete loss, said Tré Coleman, S.C. Department of Agriculture marketing specialist. "I don't know if any can be salvaged," he told Tobacco Farmer Newsletter. "It was not only the rain--we had high winds for two days afterward that whipped the stalks. And it might be 10 days (from October 5) before fields are dry enough to get back in. I would be surprised if any more can be harvested." Losses will be limited in S.C., however, because no more than one to two percent of the state's 27-million-pound crop remained on the stalk when the rain started falling, according to Coleman. And what was left was in poor condition because of diseases. "We'd had perfect disease weather the last week or 10 days of September," said William Hardee, area Extension agronomy agent for Horry and Marion Counties. "There was bad bacterial wilt along with the sunscald that we'd had earlier." So even without the rain, the yield might have been very low. In some of the other states where tobacco was affected: In North Carolina, flooding was not as extensive as in S.C. But there was much more rain than was desired. In the east, near Kinston, Alton Roberson was very glad he had finished harvesting before the end of September. "But right much was still in the field, and in the growers' opinions, they couldn't finish harvesting quick enough," he said. There was a great fear that leaf would turn to trash on the stalk if it stayed out too long. In north central N.C., farmers received "welcomed but excessive rains," said Robin Watson, N.C. Department of Agriculture regional agronomist stationed in Burlington. "Tobacco farmers are having a difficult time in getting their tobacco out of the field," he said. "All crops that were either ready for harvest or being harvested are in a state of decline due to the length of it raining." In Virginia, Cynthia Gregg, Extension agent in Brunswick County, Va, in thesouthern part of the state, said minor flooding and ponding of water in pastures and crop fields were evident across the county. "Some tobacco fields have been stripped. Others still have some tips to be harvested. These fields are showing damage due to the excess rainfall." In Lunenburg County, about 50 miles west of Brunswick, some tobacco was pulled the week ending October 4, said Lindy Tucker, Extension agent. "Otherwise, no one was in the field." October Crop Report: Volumes continue to slide, says USDA. The October projection for tobacco production (released October 9) puts flue-cured volume at 468 million pounds, a million pounds more than it estimated in September but 18 percent less than last year. It projected burley production at 152 million pounds, five million pounds less than it estimated in August and 29 percent less than last year. Among the individual states: FLUE-CURED North Carolina--365.5 million pounds, down 19 percent. Virginia--48.3 million pounds, down 10 percent. South Carolina--27.1 million pounds, down percent Georgia--27.3 million pounds, down 20 percent. BURLEY Kentucky--114 million pounds, down 30 percent. Tennessee--19.2 million pounds, down 29 percent. Pennsylvania--11.2 million pounds, down 11.5 percent. Ohio--3.3 million pounds, down 22 percent. Virginia--2.1 million pounds, down 26 percent. North Carolina--two million pounds, down 23 percent. OTHER TYPES Fire-cured--56.9 million pounds, down three percent. Dark air-cured--17.6 million pounds, down one percent. Connecticut/Massachusetts cigar types--4.1 million pounds, down one percent. Southern Maryland--3.6 million pounds, down 21 percent. Pennsylvania seedleaf--2.9 million pounds, down 21 percent. Editor: Chris Bickers.903-9 Shellbrook Ct. Raleigh, N.C. 27609. chrisbickers@gmail.com.919 789 4631. ADVERTISEMENTS BIG M TOBACCO WAREHOUSE  1723 Goldsboro St. SW, Wilson, N.C.,  in the old Liberty Warehouse Greg Goins is the auctioneer at Big M Warehouse. We hold sealed bid auctions We promise  HONEST AND TRUSTWORTHY  SERVICE We will be GAP certified  For more information, contact Mann Mullen at 919-496-9033  or the warehouse switchboard at 252-206-1447. Email: shrimpmann@embarqmail.com.  How burley bloomed in the Blue Ridge For an easy-to-read account of how burley came to east Tennessee and western North Carolina in the late 1800s, along with oral history interviews with some of the best of the older generation burley farmers, and much more, order The History of Burley Tobacco in East Tennessee & Western North Carolina by Billy Yeargin and Christopher Bickers. Send a check for $25 to Chris Bickers, 903-9 Shellbrook Ct., Raleigh, N.C. 27609. Questions? Contact Bickers at 919 789 4631or via email at chrisbickers@gmail.com. FARMERS TOBACCO WAREHOUSE 209 Harding St., Danville, Ky. PH: 859-236-4932 Full-service burley warehouse Jerry Rankin, Owner   Call for information.

LATE NEWS from South Carolina, October 6, 2015: The small amount of tobacco (all flue-cured) that remained in the field when the floods began October 1 is now probably a complete loss, says Tré Coleman, S.C. Department of Agriculture marketing specialist. "I don't know if any can be salvaged," he told Tobacco Farmer Newsletter. "It was not only the rain, but we had high winds for two days afterward that whipped the stalks. And it might be 10 days before fields are dry enough to get back in. I would be surprised if any more can be harvested." But the production loss will be limited despite the fact that almost all the tobacco farms in S.C. suffered from the rain--Coleman estimates that no more than one to two percent of the state's 30-million-pound crop remained on the stalk when the rain started falling.

MARKETING PACE ACCELERATES AS HARVEST MOVES UP STALK

Workers harvest flue-cured leaf near Yadkinville in the Piedmont of North Carolina (file photo). Slow development of bottom crop: Flue-cured deliveries in August and early September were very light, says Graham Boyd, executive vice president of the Tobacco Growers Association of N.C. "Many of our farmers have just finished marketing the bottom half of their crop last week," he says. "That's late for us." But he anticipates 90 percent of the crop will be delivered by the opening of the N.C. State Fair onOctober 15, more than had been delivered on that date a year ago. After several days of 105 degree heat, real skill had to be applied to curing this year's flue-cured, says Boyd. "Even veteran growers who had cured many crops did not have enough' notes in the Rolodex' to figure out how to cure this less than desirable leaf," he says. But they seem to have done fairly well, judging from the leaf that's coming to the market," he says. In Eastern North Carolina, the season started out with seven inches of rain associated with Tropical storm Ana. "Luckily I hadn't fertilized," says Danny Sykes of Lenoir County, N.C. "After the rain, we put out our fertilizer, then it turned off dry and didn't rain again until the tobacco was a foot high. That slowed us down." They still had some tobacco in the field as of September 21. "That is late for us," he says. The rain picked up at the tail end of the season. "We had a little black shank late but the crop has weighed good except for the first pullings. From the cutters up, it has been pretty good." A sucker control chemical that combines fatty alcohols with flumetralin made sucker control a little easier in dry mid season of 2015. "Plucker-Plus from Drexel was convenient and it worked as advertised," says Sykes of Lenoir County. "I was well satisfied with it." Before Plucker-Plus became available, Sykes' program was two applications of a contact, then one of flumetralin. "This year, I made one application of the contact, and then I was able to skip the second and instead finish with Plucker-Plus," he says. "It saved on contact application." Plucker-Plus is made up of Sucker-Plucker (fatty alcohols) and Drexalin Plus, a flumetralin formulation, in a four to one ratio.  After extreme rainfall earlier, it has been very dry in the Bluegrass, says Roger Quarles, a burley grower from Georgetown, Ky. "Except for showers on September 25, much of the burley crop has gotten no rain in the past month," he says. "We have finished with harvest, but curing this crop is a real challenge. On my farm, we have closed up all but one of our barns to hold in moisture. We will do what we can, but this crop won't have the dark color that we like to see. It's going to be light colored." The yield will also be affected. "When the rains stopped, the crop was plenty tall enough and had plenty of leaves. But since then it has lacked the moisture it needed to fill." The first burley cut in East Tennessee will soon be cured, says Eric Walker, Tennessee Extension tobacco specialist. Curing conditions have been satisfactory and good quality is hoped for. There is more concern for the burley that is still in the field should the weather turn cold and dry. That could result in flash curing. But not a whole lot remains to be harvested. "We are over half way done with barning, and it may be more like three quarters," Walker says. "We are on the backside now." Heavy early rains in many parts of Tennessee lead to problems with bacterial soft rot that were significant in some burley fields, says Walker. "There was some leaf loss. Target spot was also bad in some areas. A number of fields got blue mold throughout the season, but farmers reacted proactively with fungicides, and with the help of dry conditions, yield losses from this disease were minimized. Most sightings were in or near Greene County, where the initial outbreak was discovered. Reynolds American has sold the international rights to the Natural American Spirit brand name and the international companies that distribute and market the brand outside the U.S. The buyer is Japan Tobacco and the value is approximately five billion dollars. It was not immediately apparent whether the NAS factory in Oxford, N.C., will produce all or any of the cigarettes JTI will sell. Watch for more details in coming issues of TFN. How you can have a say in the N.C. research referendum. "I read in your newsletter about the referendum on continuing the N.C. tobacco research and education checkoff," writes Shannon Boswell of Selma, N.C. "How can I make sure I get the opportunity to cast a ballot? I totally agree with the research fee. This is the one deduction from my tobacco check that I know what the money is going to and agree with." But she is not so sure about the other two tobacco checkoffs for N.C. farmers. Tobacco Associates, Inc., for instance. "From a news article I found online, I see where it was started in the Forties, so it has been around a long time," she says. "But I have also spent time looking online and through the information sent to me, and I have been left with no answers as to what the fee they deduct truly goes towards, or how that amount gets determined and approved.  Can we request refunds? If so, what is the process?" She also doesn't understand the assessment for the Tobacco Growers Association of N.C. "It stated in its Spring 2015 Newsletter that its checkoff was voted for and approved by 80 percent of the flue-cured growers in the state, yet I never received anything in the mail and was not part of a vote," she says. "Several other farmers told me they had no knowledge of the vote either.  Does that mean I was an automatic yes vote if I did not participate? With this difficult tobacco season, I guess we have started paying more attention to the details of everything coming out of our checks, and want to learn more." Editor's Note: You came to the right place. I am very familiar with all three of these organizations, and I think I can answer all your questions. First, let me say that refunds can be requested for all three checkoffs. There is a time limit, so if you are thinking about doing this, look into it soon. I believe for all three the deadline is 30 days after your last sale. But I can't say I recommend doing so--all three entities do what they set out to do, and considering that the cost is very economical, I would say growers are getting a bargain. But suit yourself. Following are the individuals you would need to contract for more information or to request a refund, along with some additional details on their fund-raising efforts. Note that the research referendum applies to all N.C. tobacco growers, the Tobacco Associates referendum is for flue-cured growers in all producing states and TGANC represents only N.C. flue-cured growers. Tobacco Research Check-off: Contact Keith Oakley, president, N.C. Tobacco Foundation, which administers the checkoff, keith_oakley@ncsu.edu or 919-515-9262. On November 19, you can cast your vote for or against the research referendum at any Extension office in a county with significant tobacco acreage. To vote on the 10 cents per 100 pounds assessment, you must share in the risk of the costs of production for flue-cured or burley tobacco.  Tobacco Associates: Contact Veronica Martins, office manager, Tobacco Associates, 919-821-7670 or tar@tobaccoassociatesinc.org. TA uses grower checkoffs from all the flue-cured states to fund export promotion and expansion programs. It must be revalidated in a referendum every three years, and the next one will probably be in January 2016. Details have yet to be worked out. The check-off amount is one fifth of one cent per pound, or 20 cents per 100 pounds. Tobacco Growers Association of N.C.: Contact Graham Boyd, executive vice president, TGANC, 919-614-0099 or grahamboyd@nc.rr.com. Unlike the other two but like most other agricultural commodity associations in this state, TGANC doesn't need reauthorization by growers to continue collecting the checkoff, which is ten cents per hundredweight or about $2.30 an acre. The original referendum was conducted in the spring of 2014, and 88 percent of the roughly 400 farmers who cast a vote voted yes. Should you seek a refund? I am afraid I can't be objective on that question. I was one of the founding members of TGANC, and when I think about how much of my adult life I spent trying to get a grower assessment for the organization, I find it more than a bit traumatic to think that anyone would not think it was money well spent. But if you think it, you think it, and you can call Graham Boyd and debate the question further.

How burley bloomed in the Blue Ridge For an easy-to-read account of how burley came to east Tennessee and western North Carolina in the late 1800s, along with oral history interviews with some of the best of the older generation burley farmers, and much more, order The History of Burley Tobacco in East Tennessee & Western North Carolina by Billy Yeargin and Christopher Bickers. Send a check for $25 to Chris Bickers, 903-9 Shellbrook Ct., Raleigh, N.C. 27609. Questions? Contact Bickers by phone at 919 789 4631 or via email at  chrisbickers@gmail.com.

BIG M TOBACCO WAREHOUSE  1723 Goldsboro St. SW, Wilson, N.C.,  in the old Liberty Warehouse Greg Goins is the auctioneer at Big M Warehouse. We hold sealed bid auctions We promise  HONEST AND TRUSTWORTHY  SERVICE We will be GAP certified  For more information, contact Mann Mullen at 919-496-9033  or the warehouse switchboard at 252-206-1447. Email: shrimpmann@embarqmail.com.

FARMERS TOBACCO WAREHOUSE 209 Harding St., Danville, Ky. PH: 859-236-4932 Full-service burley warehouse Jerry Rankin, Owner   Call for information.