CONTRACTING PROSPECTS CONTINUE TO LOOK BLEAK

Streptomycin resistance in the Black Patch: Angular leaf spot on dark tobacco is developing resistance to agricultural streptomycin, essentially the only control measure for the foliar disease. An estimated 25 percent of the angular leaf spot in this area has some level of resistance, says Andy Bailey, Extension dark tobacco specialist for Kentucky and Tennessee. Planting dark varieties with some resistance to wildfire could help: Spread of angular leaf spot seems to be a little slower in them. More bad news on contracting volume: U.S. Tobacco Cooperative, the flue-cured cooperative in Raleigh, N.C., has now cut its contracts 80 percent across the board for 2019. USTC's leading customer is China, and it took a hit when the Chinese elected not to buy any tobacco from the 2018 crop after the Trump tariffs. Look for more details on this situation in the next issue of Tobacco Farmer Newsletter. Pratt Goodbye to a bad year: The 2018 burley season is finally over, and most growers are glad to see it end, says Steve Pratt, general manager of the Burley Tobacco Growers Cooperative Association. "Due to heavy rainfall, the burley tobacco crop last year has been predicted to be the lowest production on record since records have been kept,” he says. “Planning for the 2019 crop has started with lots of hope this season will only get better.”   But the market outlook is problematic. "The demand for U.S. burley continues to decline each year as smoking numbers go down and cigarette manufacturers maintain their use of imported burley tobacco," says Pratt. "There continues to be a need for U.S. burley, but growers may have to adapt to new methods to meet those requirements.  That could mean growing less tobacco with improved yields and greater efficiency." For dark tobacco growers, contract volume is definitely down. "Even though we had a good crop in 2018, the cut in acreage appears substantial," says Andy Bailey, Extension dark tobacco specialist for Kentucky and Tennessee. "A lot of farmers are getting cuts in the 10 to 20 percent range. I have heard of a few who have gotten 100 percent cuts, particularly with dark air-cured tobacco." How can that be when quality was better? "It wasn't the best crop we've ever had, but it was definitely above average. But very little overage was bought at any price by anyone," Bailey says. "The dark market depends on sales of snuff products, and the snuff market has been leveling off for the past couple of years." There was the usual rush to seed before Valentine's Day in North Carolina, but much of the crop remains to be seeded, says Matthew Vann, N.C. Extension tobacco specialist. He advises a careful approach to seeding the rest. "The weather we have been having is not conducive to seeding. You need four or five days of good light quality for good germination. The outlook for that is not good, at least not here in Raleigh." By the way, angular leaf spot is rarely seen in flue-cured in North Carolina, Vann says. "Usually, we [only] see it following a late-season tropical storm." DATES TO REMEMBER GAP GROWER TRAINING EVENTS Check with your local Extension Service office for further details. All meetings listed here are free and presented in English. Eastern Time except where indicated. February 28, 1 p.m. West Union, Ohio. February 28, 6 p.m. Maysville, Ky. March 1, 1 p.m. Paoli, In. March 4, 6 p.m. Gallipolis, Ohio. March 4, 7 p.m. Falmouth, N.C. March 5, 1 p.m. West Union, Ohio. March 5,  2 p.m. Russellville, Ky. March 5, 6:30 p.m. Georgetown, Ohio. March 6, 9 a.m. Georgetown, Ohio. March 7, 3 a.m. Central City, Ky. March 7, 6 p.m. Abingdon, Va. March 8, 6 p.m. Ben Hur, Va. March 11, 10 a.m. Tifton, Ga. March 11, 6 p.m. Springfield, Ky. March 12, 9 a.m. CST. Murray, Ky. March 12,10 a.m. Marion, S.C. March 18, 11 a.m. Lexington, Ky. March 19, 6 p.m. CST. Glasgow, Ky. March 25, 9 a.m. Turbotville, Pa. March 26, 9 a.m. Quarryville, Pa. March 26, 1 p.m. Quarryville, Pa. March 26, 6 p.m. London, Ky. March 27, 9 a.m. Quarryville, Pa. March 27, 1 p.m. Quarryville, Pa. March 28, 9 a.m. New Holland,, Pa. March 28, 1 p.m. New Holland, Pa. April 11, 6 p.m. Bedford, Ky.