IT'S SHOW TIME IN RALEIGH!

A new float tray sanitation system from Long Tobacco Barns of Tarboro, N.C., will be on display at the Southern Farm Show. The "Steaming Eagle" has the capacity to sanitize 1,029 two-inch high trays or 729 2.5-inch high trays per steaming cycle. It can be cycled several times per day and is designed to handle trays for 100+ acres per day.

The Southern Farm Show will take place at the North Carolina State Fairgrounds in Raleigh, N.C., from Wednesday, February 3, through Friday, February 5. It will be held at the North Carolina State Fairgrounds in Raleigh, N.C. There is no charge for admission or parking. The annual meeting of the Tobacco Growers Association of N.C. will take place Friday from 10 to 1. A list of exhibitors with displays of particular interest to tobacco growers appears below.

How to explain the market downturn for flue-cured in 2015? Large inventories and large changes in exchange rates seem to be the prime factors, says Blake Brown and Will Snell, Extension economists in N.C. and Kentucky respectively. "Inventories accumulated in 2014 after larger production and unexpected lower demand in a number of markets," they wrote late last year. Then, the U.S. dollar strengthened against currencies like the euro. At the same time, the value of the currency of Brazil, the biggest competitor to U.S. flue-cured, fell. "The rising dollar and falling Brazilian Real mean that Brazilian products are much cheaper in the world market than U.S. products," they say.

Stability for burley? Looking forward to 2016, it appears burley is in a much better global supply/demand balance compared to last year, wrote Blake and Snell. Following a 17 percent drop in world burley production in 2015, Universal Leaf iscurrently projecting stable global burley leaf output for 2016.

What are the key factors  affecting US burley and dark leaf production in 2016? Snell points to: 

--An improved balance of global supply and demand as the year begins may minimize changes in contract volumes; 

--Slowing sales of snuff should result in stable production of dark this season;

--A drop in the value of Kentucky tobacco to below $350 million in 2015 and 2016 seems likely after the post-buyout high of $448 million in 2014.

What are the major challenges facing American flue-cured in 2016? Brown suggests the following: 

--Unfavorable exchange rates, particularly with the Brazilian reale; 

--Continued erosion of cigarette consumption in developed countries due to health concerns. 

--Hostile regulatory and tax environment for cigarettes in the EU and U.S. 

--Changes in nicotine delivery technology to products that use less flue-cured than conventional cigarettes, such as e-cigarettes.

The final count for 2015: USDA issued its summary report on tobacco production in the season just ended on January 12. As in previous USDA estimates for this crop,volumes were down substantially for the two major types, and down to some extent for all other types except the cigar types of the Connecticut River Valley, although the fire-cured and dark air-cured types were down only slightly... The estimate for flue-cured is 482 million pounds, 16 percent less than last year and up three percent from the last USDA forecast in October. For burley, it is 145 million pounds, 32 percent less than last year and down five percent from the last forecast. Among individual states:

FLUE-CURED

• NC: 374 million pounds, down 17 percent.
• VA: 49 million pounds, down eight percent.
• GA: 32 million pounds, down six percent.
• SC: 26 million pounds, down 21 percent. 

BURLEY

• KY: 104 million pounds, down 36 percent.
• TN: 19 million pounds, down 20 percent.
• PA: 10 million pounds, down 15 percent.
• OH: 3.6 million pounds, down 16 percent.
• VA: 2.4 million pounds, down 17 percent.
• NC: 1.8 million pounds, down 30 percent. 

OTHER TYPES

• Fire-cured was down seven percent at 55 million pounds.
• Dark air-cured was down only 2.5 percent, at 17 million pounds.
• Massachusetts and Connecticut cigar types were up seven percent, at 4.5 million pounds.
• Pennsylvania seedleaf was down 21 percent at 3.7 million pounds.
• Southern Maryland light air-cured was down 25 percent at 3.5 million pounds.

Good news from Wall Street...sort of: "We expect favorable cigarette volume trends to continue next year," says Bonnie Herzog, Senior equity research analyst with Wells Fargo. "Cigarette volume trends should continue...to down around two to three percent." That is above the historical average decline.

Tobacco lost two good friends in the last 30 days. 

• Joe Priest, a native of Hoke County, N.C., attended N.C. State University, graduating in 1967, and began a 48-year career with the U. S. Department of Agriculture and N.C. State. Among many accomplishments in that period, he is remembered particularly by his colleagues for serving for more than 20 years as coordinator of the regional Tobacco Growth Regulator Committee, which facilitates and plans plant growth regulator research in the flue-cured tobacco states. "He always did more than expected and did it correctly," says W.K. "Bill" Collins, his longtime co-worker. "He inspired the respect of the people he worked with."

• Eddie Baker, also a native of Hoke County and also a graduate of N.C. State, was president and founder of Cross Creek Seed, Inc., of Raeford, N.C. By the end of his career, Cross Creek was producing tobacco seed, pelletizing tobacco seed, growing tobacco transplants, sanitizing tobacco greenhouse trays and producing tobacco leaf. "He founded and developed a full spectrum company for the tobacco world," remembers his son Ed. "This wide view approach gave my father the insight and experience to better serve the farmers of tobacco world, of which he was a happy member.  Combining all this under one roof, Eddie did what no other U.S. seedsman has done.  And of that he was proud."

TOBACCO-RELATED EXHIBITS AT 

THE SOUTHERN FARM SHOW

Listed by location on the N.C. State Fairgrounds

Jim Graham Bldg.  

• 221 Taylor Mfg. Curing barns, wood furnaces.
• 222 Evans Mactavish Agricraft.
• 227 Kelley Mfg. Co. Agricultural equipment.
• 704 (also 8131) Agri Supply. Agricultural materials.
• 807 Mechanical Transplanter Co. Transplanters, seeding equipment.
• 808-9 BulkTobac (Gas Fired Products). Curing equipment and controls, poultry brooders, pig heating, space heaters.

Kerr Scott Bldg. 

• 1002 TriEst Ag Group (Formerly Hendrix and Dail). Fumigation supplies.
• 1005 Flue Cured Tobacco Services. Curing controls.
• 1015 Yara North America. Fertility products.
• 1104 GoldLeaf Seed Co. Tobacco seed.
• 1114 Transplant Systems. Greenhouse systems.  
• 1116 Cross Creek Seed. Tobacco seed.
• 1121 AAA Scale Co.
• 1201 Carolina Greenhouse & Soil Company.
• 1202 Reddick Equipment Company Inc.
• 1302 Mid-Atlantic Irrigation.

Exposition Bldg.

• 3127 (also 8611) Benchmark Buildings & Irrigation Inc. Pre-fabricated metal buildings, transplanters and irrigation equipment.
• 3135 Southern Container Corporation of Wilson. Bale sheets and packaging.  
• 3522 First Products Inc. Fertilizer boxes for cultivators and tool bars.
• 3605 MarCo Mfg. Tobacco machinery.
• 3714 (also 8615) Cureco, Inc. Curing controls.

Tent 1

• 5007 ABI Irrigation. Irrigation equipment.
• 5023 Walters Air Assist Plant Release System. Plant release system.
• 5110 Britt Technical Services, Inc. Rotem Curing Controls.

Scott Tent

• 7025 Drexel Chemical Company. Sucker control chemicals.
• 7323 Berger. Plant growing mixtures.
• 7327 Teeterville Garage & Weighing Systems. Moisture controllers for tobacco barns and weighing scales.

Outdoors  

• 8035 Equipmax. Tobacco spray equipment.
• 8122 Carolina Tobacco Services. Curing barns, mechanical harvesters, heat exchangers.  
• 8204 Wilson Manufacturing. Farm trailers
• 8217 Granville Equipment. Tobacco Machinery.
• 8301 World Tobacco. Bulk fertilizer handling equipment. Curing barns.
• 8323 De Cloet SRL. Tobacco machinery.
• 8546 Kelley Mfg. Co. Agricultural equipment.
• 8604 First Products Inc. Fertilizer boxes for cultivators and tool bars.
• 8705 Evencure Systems. Curing controls. 
• 8701 Tytun Ltd. Bulk flue-curing barns.
• 8712 Long Tobacco Barn Co. Bulk tobacco curing barns. 

A COMMITMENT TO QUALITY IS THE KEY FOR 2016

Plant production season coming up: A newly seeded greenhouse from a past season. Three or four is better than one or two when it comes to harvesting. Some N.C. flue-cured growers were forced to cut reduce their number of harvests the last two seasons because of black shank or Granville wilt pressure. Vann urges three or four harvests this year if at all possible. "A once- or twice-over crop is not going to sell very well in the current leaf market," he says. "And non-tobacco material is also going to be a problem." He says an emphasis on quality is going to be N.C. Extension's focus in winter education programs. A way to avoid tray washing: David Sanderson, farm manager, WF Partnership, Newton Grove, N.C., experimented with 600 Trilogy plastic float trays in 2015 and will do so again this season. The black trays offer one definite advantage over styrofoam trays, he says. They are much  easier to clean, and you don't have to steam them. "It cost me about 25 cents each to steam clean our styrofoam trays, so there is a definite savings," he says. The performance of the Trilogy trays is quite satisfactory. "They wick very well, better than our styrofoam trays, and the quality of the plants is equal," says Sanderson. Matthew Vann, N.C. Extension tobacco specialist, says Trilogy trays could offer some benefits. "Plastic trays should be easier to sterilize than styrofoam trays, and there is a longevity issue. It has been predicted that the black trays will last 10 to 15 years, possibly 20 years, which is much longer than styrofoam trays." There may sometimes be wicking issues with styrofoam trays but they occur mainly when they are brand new, he adds. For more information on Trilogy trays, call Ray DeBruhl at 919 610 7896. Or visit www.PlasticFloatTray.com. Steam it yourself: Long Tobacco Barns has developed a system to sanitize greenhouse float trays. Called the Steaming Eagle, you can see it in operation at an open house Friday, January 15, from 10 a.m. to 2 a.m. at Long's manufacturing facility in Tarboro, N.C.  The location is  manufacturing facility located at 401 W Hope Lodge St. For more information, call 252 641 4796. In search of a plant pathologist: The position of N.C. Extension plant pathologist with responsibility for tobacco is currently open. The new pathologist will divide his/her time between tobacco and other row crops that have not yet been identified but may well include cotton and corn. Mina Mila, who  held the position for a number of year, is still on the NCSU staff as a teacher and researcher. A vote on export promotion: Flue-cured growers in the Carolinas will vote on January 27 whether to continue their support of Tobacco Associates, the organization that uses grower check offs to fund export promotion and expansion programs. It must be revalidated in North and South Carolina in a referendum every three years. The check-off amount in N.C. is one fifth of one cent per pound, or 20 cents per 100 pounds. The S.C. amount is higher: one half cent per pound or 50 cents per 100 pounds. But board members have pledged not to actually collect more than 20 cents. The referendum will be conducted at county Extension offices. Allen Wooten of Burgaw, N.C., the farmer chairman of Tobacco Associates, urges growers to vote yes. "With domestic consumption declining, we depend on exports to hold our market where it is today," he says. And there have been successes. "We have had a very active program with Vietnamese companies since trade relations were normalized in 1996. Sales were zero then--now they are up to 500 tons a year." The Southern Farm Show begins Wednesday, February 3, and ends on the following Friday. It will be held at the North Carolina State Fairgrounds in Raleigh, N.C. Entrance free. The annual meeting of the Tobacco Growers Association of N.C. will take place Friday from 10 to 1. Following is a list of tobacco-oriented exhibitors appears below. Note: This list may not be complete. Additions are welcome and will appear in the next issue. Submit via chrisbickers@gmail.com. Jim Graham Bldg.   221 Taylor Mfg. Curing barns, wood furnaces. 222 Evans Mactavish Agricraft. 227 Kelley Mfg. Co. Agricultural equipment. 704 (also 8131) Agri Supply. Agricultural materials. 807 Mechanical Transplanter Co. Transplanters, seeding equipment. 808-9 BulkTobac (Gas Fired Products). Curing equipment and controls, poultry brooders, pig heating, space heaters. Kerr Scott Bldg.  1002 TriEst Ag Group (Formerly Hendrix and Dail). Fumigation supplies. 1005 Flue Cured Tobacco Services. Curing controls. 1015 Yara North America. Fertility products. 1104 GoldLeaf Seed Co. Tobacco seed. 1114 Transplant Systems. Greenhouse systems.   1116 Cross Creek Seed. Tobacco seed. 1121 AAA Scale Co. 1201 Carolina Greenhouse & Soil Company. 1202 Reddick Equipment Company Inc. 1302 Mid-Atlantic Irrigation. Exposition Bldg. 3127 (also 8611) Benchmark Buildings & Irrigation Inc. Pre-fabricated metal buildings, transplanters and irrigation equipment. 3135 Southern Container Corporation of Wilson. Bale sheets and packaging.   3522 First Products Inc. Fertilizer boxes for cultivators and tool bars. 3605 MarCo Mfg. Tobacco machinery. 3714 (also 8615) Cureco, Inc. Curing controls. Tent 1 5007 ABI Irrigation. Irrigation equipment. 5023 Walters Air Assist Plant Release System. Plant release system. 5110 Britt Technical Services, Inc. Rotem Curing Controls. Scott Tent 7025 Drexel Chemical Company. Sucker control chemicals. 7323 Berger. Plant growing mixtures. 7327 Teeterville Garage & Weighing Systems. Moisture controllers for tobacco barns and weighing scales. Outdoors   8035 Equipmax. Tobacco spray equipment. 8122 Carolina Tobacco Services. Curing barns, mechanical harvesters, heat exchangers.   8204 Wilson Manufacturing. Farm trailers 8217 Granville Equipment. Tobacco Machinery. 8301 World Tobacco. Bulk fertilizer handling equipment. Curing barns. 8323 De Cloet SRL. Tobacco machinery. 8546 Kelley Mfg. Co. Agricultural equipment. 8604 First Products Inc. Fertilizer boxes for cultivators and tool bars. 8705 Evencure Systems. Curing controls.  8701 Tytun Ltd. Bulk flue-curing barns. 8712 Long Tobacco Barn Co. Bulk tobacco curing barns.  UPCOMING GAP RECERTIFICATION MEETINGS TENNESSEE All beginning times are EST except as noted. February 2, 9 AM. Robertson County Fairgrounds Bldg., 4635 Hwy. 41 North, Springfield, in conjunction with the Tobacco Expo. Contact Paul Hart atpehart@utk.edu or 615-384-7936. February 8, 4 PM. Montgomery Co. Ext. Office, 1030 Cumberland Heights Road, Ste. A, Clarksville.  Contact Rusty Evans at jevans1@utk.edu or 931-648-5725. February 9, 9:30 AM. Stewart County Visitors Center, 117 Visitors Center Lane, Dover, Tn. Contact Joe Griffy at jgriffy1@utk.edu or 931-232-5682.  February 9, 6 PM. Farm Bureau Ofc., 1012 N Broad St., Tazewell. Contact MattMcGinnis at mcginnn9@utk.edu/423-626-3742. February 15, 11 AM (CST). Smith County Ag Ct., 159 Ag Center Lane, Carthage. Contact Chris Hicks at cbhicks@utk.edu/615-735-2900. February 15, 6 PM (CST). Trousdale County High School, 262 West McMurry Blvd., Hartsville. Location: Trousdale County Ag Pavillion (behind school). Contact Jason Evitts at jevitts@utk.edu/615-2421. February 16 9:30 AM (CST). Lawrence County Extension Ofc., 2385 Buffalo Rd., Lawrenceburg. Contact Wendell Smith at wdsmith@utk.edu/931-762-5506. February 16, 6:30 PM (CST). Dickson County Extension Ofc., 204 Henslee Dr., Dickson. Contact Vicki Witcher at vwitcher@utk.edu/615-446-2788. February 22, 6 PM (CST). Sandy Wells Bld., Macon County Fairgrounds, 1200 Russell Dr., Lafayette. Contact Keith Allen at kallen@utk.edu/615-666-3341. February 29, 6 PM. Holston Electric Cooperative Auditorium, 1200 West Main St., Rogersville. Contact Blake Ramsey at blake.ramsey@utk.edu/423-272-7241. March 1, 6:30 PM. McMinn County Extension Ofc., 107 West College St., Athens. Contact Tim Woods at hwoods1@utk.edu/423-745-2852. March 2, 6:30 PM. Greene County Extension Ofc., 204 North Cutler St., Suite 105, Greeneville. Contact Melody Rose at mteague@utk.edu/423-798-1710. March 8, 9:30 AM (CST). Rutherford County Extension Ofc., 315 John R. Rice Blvd., Room B, Murfreesboro. Contact Mitchell Mote at mmote1@utk.edu/615-898-7710. March 15, 6:30 PM (CST). Pickett County Agricultural Learning Ctr., 150 Skyline Dr., Byrdstown. Contact Billy Garrett at bgarret4@utk.edu/931-864-3310. March 22, 6:30 PM. Appalachian Fairgrounds, Bldg. 1 Lakeview Street, Johnson City. Contact Anthony Shelton at ashelton@utk.edu/423-753-1680. March 24, 6 PM. Ag Pavilion, 280 Bryan Rd., Rutledge. Contact: Anthony Carver at 865-828-3411/rbcarver4@utk.edu.

HOW TO CONTROL BLACK SHANK IN 2016

Black shank on flue-cured plants in a research plot at the Upper Coastal Plain Research Station near Rocky Mount, N.C. The arsenal for battling black shank has gotten larger since 2014. J. Michael Moore, Georgia Extension tobacco specialist, says a combination of one application of Ridomil Gold SL, one of Presidio and one of the Orondis Gold 200 could improve black shank control for many growers this year. Orondis, a new fungicide from Syngenta, employs a new mode of action that is different from the standard treatment Ridomil and from Presidio, which has been labeled for tobacco just one year. "Use of multiple fungicides with differing modes of action should help prevent developmentof resistance to any one fungicide," says Moore. "We will definitely have more tools than we had a few years ago." He says the key to good results with Orondis--which is sold in a co-pack with Ridomil Gold SL--will be to get it in early and incorporate it in the root zone. But what is still the best defense against black shank? Rotation, and the longest you can achieve, says Moore. There have been problems recently with black shank appearing in rotated fields, but he thinks that might be due to other factors, especially moving soil from infected fields to uninfected ones and irrigating with water from infected ponds. Sadly, the lack of a variety highly resistant to Race 1 continues to be a problem. The three varieties that appear to give the best resistance to black shank among flue-cured varieties tested on-farm in Georgia are NC 925, CC 143 and GL 395, Moore says. "But sometimes you pay a price in yield and/or quality for the improved resistance." At-planting application is out for Presidio: The manufacturer Valent has withdrawn labeling of the fungicide Presidio for use in transplant water. "There were some unanticipated plant responses in a few areas in 2015 and until we get a handle on what happened, we think it is better to be safe than sorry," says Kenneth Seebold, product development manager for Valent. The transplant water use will remain off the Presidio label for the foreseeable future, he adds. By the way, the injury issues occurred entirely on flue-cured tobacco. Presidio will still be labeled as a soil directed spray at first cultivation or layby. No more than two soil applications can be made. The quality of the burley crop appears to be living up to hopes so far. "We are about half way through marketing in terms of volume," says Bob Pearce, Kentucky Extension tobacco specialist. "The quality is variable but overall it is better than what was expected a few months ago." So far, most farmers seem satisfied with the price they are receiving. Zimbabwean production appears down: The number of farmers who registered to grow tobacco dropped from over 86,000 last year to slightly above 69,000 through November, according to the Tobacco Industry and Marketing Board (TIMB). Growers complained about the low price of  the 2014/2015 crop. Now, harvest has begun on the irrigated portion of the 2015/2016 crop. Most of the irrigated crop is in good condition but in some areas, there were problems of constant power cuts, said the minister of agriculture. "The dry land crop was affected by poor rains that started very late, and we do not expect high volumes of tobacco this season," said  Davis Marapira ... Climate change could affect the current crop, said TIMB  chief executive Andrew Matibiri. "According to the Meteorological Department, we will experience a shorter season," he said. But he was not sure if yield would be affected. "This is more or less the environment we experienced last season, and we are adjusting and adapting through investing in irrigation infrastructure." Which way contracting? My assessment of the demand-supply situation is that a modest increase in flue-cured purchases for 2016 and a larger one for burley would make a certain amount of sense. But when did the tobacco business ever make sense? I have heard from a reliable source that one of the domestics is substantially cutting its pounds to growers, in some cases down to zero. I sincerely hope that this does not reflect significantly lower need on the company's part and instead represents its desire to shift purchasing to dealers. I will try to confirm this and have more details by my next issue, in about two weeks. Growers to meet: The annual meeting of Burley Tobacco Growers Cooperative Association will take place on January 15 at 3 p.m. at the Owensboro Convention Center during the Kentucky Cattlemen's Association trade show. The annual meeting of the Council for Burley Tobacco will take place at 12 p.m. the next day, also at the show. Editor: Chris Bickers  | Bickers Editing Service | 903-9 Shellbrook Ct. | Raleigh NC 27609  | 919-789-4631  UPCOMING GAP RECERTIFICATION MEETINGS KENTUCKY January 16, 9 AM. Owensboro Convention Center, 501 W 2nd St., Owensboro, Ky., in conjunction with the Tobacco Expo. Contact Bob Pearce at rpearce @uky.edu/859-257-5110. January 18, 12 PM. McLean Co. Extn. Office, 335 West 7th St., Calhoun, Ky. Contact Cary Hicks at cary.hicks@uky.edu/270-273-3690. January 2, 2016 10 AM. Webster Co. Extension Office, 1118 U.S. Hwy 41A South, Dixon, Ky. Contact Vicki Shadrick at vshadric@uky.edu/270-639-9011. January 28, 6 PM. Woodford County Extension Office, 184 Beasley Rd. Versailles, Ky.  Contact Adam Probst at adam.probst@uky.edu/859 873-4601. January 29, 9 AM. Shelby County Extension Office, 1117 Frankfort Rd. Shelbyville, Ky. Contact Corinne Belton at corinne.belton@uky.edu/502-633-4593. January 29, 1 PM. Henry County Extension Office, 2151 Campbellsburg Rd., New Castle, Ky. Contact Levi Berg at levi.berg@uky.edu/ 502-845-2811. February 2, 6 PM. Allen County Extension Office, 200 East Main St., Scottsville, Ky. This meeting is in Central Time Zone (CST). Contact Steve Osborne at sosborne@uky.edu/270-237-3146. February 2, 6 PM. Warren County Extension Office, 3132 Nashville Rd., Bowling Green, Ky. This meeting is in Central Time Zone. Contact Joanna Coles atjcoles@uky.edu/270-842-1681. February 3, 1 PM. & 3 PM (two sessions). Washington County Extension Office, 211 Progress Ave., Springfield, Ky. Contact Rick Greenwell at rick.greenwell@ uky.edu/859-336-7441. February 4, 6 PM. Harrison County Extension Office, 668 New Lair Rd., Cynthiana, Ky. Contact Jessica Barnes at jessica.barnes2@uky.edu/859-234-5510. February 9, 9 AM. Green County Extension Office, 298 Happyville Road, Greensburg, Ky. This meeting is in Central Time Zone (CST). Contact Ricky Arnett at ricky.arnett@uky.edu/270-932-5311.             February 23, 12 PM. Wayne County Extension Office, 255 Rolling Hills Blvd., Monticello, Ky. Contact Glen Roberts at groberts@uky.edu/606-348-8453. February 23, 5:30 PM. Albany RECC Building, 715 Snow Rd., Albany, Ky. This meeting is in Central Time Zone (CST). Contact Chelsey Pickens atcapick3@uky.edu/606-387-5404. February 25, 5 PM. Muhlenberg County Extension Office, 3690 State Rte. 1380, Central City, Ky. Contact Darrell Simpson at drsimpso@uky.edu/270-338-3124. February 25, 6 PM. Maysville Community and Technical College, 1755 US 68, Maysville, Ky. Contact Tad Campbell at mcampbel@uky.edu/606-564-6808. February 29, 4:30 PM. Blewitt-Bradley Building, 309 North High St., Franklin, Ky. Contact Jason Phillips at jrphil0@uky.edu/270-586-4484. February 29, 6 PM. Clark County Extension Office, 1400 Fortune Dr., Winchester, Ky. Contact David Davis at david.davis@uky.edu/859-744-4682. March 2, 6 PM. Lincoln County Extension Office, 104 Metker Trail, Stanford, Ky. Contact Dan Grigson at dgrigson@uky.edu/606-365-2459. March 3, 10 AM. Breckinridge County Extension Office, 1377 Hwy. 261 S., Hardinsburg, Ky. This meeting is in Central Time Zone (CST). Contact Carol Hinton at cmhinton@uky.edu/270-756-2182.       March 8, 2 PM. Cherry Expo Center, 101 College Farm Rd., Murray, Ky. Contact Matt Chadwick at matthew.chadwick@uky.edu/270-753-1452. March 8, 6 PM. Livestock Classroom Fairgrounds, 1471 Concrete Rd., Carlisle, Ky.  Contact Clay Stammatclay.stamm@uky.edu/859-289-2312. March 9, 2 PM. Graves County Extension Office, 251 Housman  St., Mayfield, Ky. Contact Trent Murdock at trent.murdock@uky.edu/270-247-2334. March 10, 2 PM. Logan County Extension Office, 255 John Paul Rd., Russellville, Ky. Contact Leann Martin at leann.martin@uky.edu/270-726-6323. March 10, 6 PM. Owen County Extension Office, 265 Ellis Hwy., Owenton, Ky. Contact Steve Musen at steve.musen@uky.edu/502-484-5703. March 11, 9:30 AM. University of Kentucky Research & Education Ctr., 1205 Hopkinsville St., Princeton, Ky. Contact Andy Bailey at abailey@uky.edu/270-365-7541. March 15, 5 PM. Laurel County Extension Office, 200 County Extension Rd., London, Ky. Contact Glenn Williams, gwilliam@uky.edu/606-864-4167. March 16, 5:30 PM. Pendleton County Extension Office, 45 David Pribble Dr., Falmouth. Contact Lindie Huffman at lindie.huffman@uky.edu/859-654-3395. March 23, 5:30 PM. Barren County High School Trojan Academy, 505 Trojan Tr., Glasgow, Ky. This meeting is in Central Time Zone (CST). Contact Chris Shalk at chris.schalk@uky.edu/270-651-3818. TENNESSEE February 2, 9 AM. Robertson Co. Fairgrounds Bldg., 4635 Hwy. 41 North, Springfield, Tn. in conjunction with Tobacco Expo. Contact Paul Hart atpehart@utk.edu or 615-384-7936. February 8, 4 PM. Montgomery Co. Ext. Office, 1030 Cumberland Heights Road, Ste. A, Clarksville Tn.  Contact Rusty Evans at jevans1@utk.edu or 931-648-5725. February 9, 9:30 AM. Stewart County Visitors Center, 117 Visitors Center Lane, Dover, Tn. Contact Joe Griffy at jgriffy1@utk.edu or 931-232-5682.  INDIANA February 24, 1 PM. Saddle Club, 710 Fairgrounds Rd., Scottsburg, In.  Contact Megan Voyles at mvoyles@purdue.edu or 812-752-8450. February 24, 6 PM. Switzerland County Extension Office, 708 West Seminary St. Vevay, In. Contact Kyle Weaver at keweaver@purdue.edu or 812-427-3152. March 7, 1 PM. Orange County Extension Office, 205 East Main St., Paoli, In. Contact Paul Vining at vining@purdue.edu or 812-723-2107.  For earlier announced North Carolina and Virginia meeting dates, see Tobacco Farmer Newsletter December II 2015.