LOOKING BACK OVER A REALLY BAD YEAR

Caption: Wrapping up another crop: A North Carolina farmer harvests the last few stalks of his flue-cured crop near Raleigh. Photo: Christopher Bickers. The leaves have been pulled from the flue-cured plants and the stalk-cut types have been cut and hung on tier poles, and although there may be a few farmers left with tobacco still in the field, the 2024 crop is for all practical purposes complete. It was a year to remember--although many of us would rather not--and following is a final report on the end of burley and dark production plus a report from the N.C. State Fair. BURLEY AND DARK In Kentucky, it was dry early and wet late, says Joe Cain, Executive Director, Kentucky-Tennessee Burley and Dark Tobacco Producers Assn. “But we came out with a decent burley crop considering that it was dry again during harvest,” he says. In that situation, there is a danger of a quick cure, producing leaf that is hard to sell. “Our dark tobacco suffered less from the weather resulting in less disease pressure. We had disappointing contract reductions in 2024, but we will have a dark crop next season. We just don’t know at what level. Contracts and prices will determine how much. Currently I don’t have any information what they will be”…The market may look better for burley. “There certainly isn’t any oversupply of burley in the world so there could be some expansion,” he says…In Tennessee, harvest ended by early November. Curing weather was reasonably good since then. “It had been dry but then we got a couple of rains recently that really helped,” said Mitchell Richmond, Tennessee Extension specialist. Not a lot of the crop remains to be cured, he adds…East Tennessee and western North Carolina suffered savage rain and flood damage from Hurricane Helene. But the loss of tobacco was not extreme because not much burley is grown in these areas anymore…Richmond says the still relatively new variety KT 222 was a success again in 2024. “It has proven to be the highest variety in black shank resistance that we have had in quite a while. It is going to be a popular variety in coming years.” PIEDMONT FLUE-CURED In North Carolina, two men who grow tobacco north of Raleigh stopped to talk to Tobacco Farmer Newsletter in an interview during the Tobacco Stringing Contest at the North Carolina State Fair last October 18: Jonathan Renn, who farms in Franklin and Vance Counties, said 2024 was “definitely” a challenging season. But his area was largely spared from the worst of hurricane damage. There was some wind damage from Hurricane Debbie, “But our problems were mainly caused by too much water. And we had a drought that was a big problem too. Two weather events in one year are too much,” he said. Yield and quality were good considering the conditions. “But they weren’t up to normal.” Tom Shaw, who farms in Vance County, said, “We only made about 60% of a normal crop. It was very dry early and very wet later on. Tobacco doesn’t like wet feet.” But the hurricanes didn’t bother us.” One problem, he said, was that he had to harvest too fast, in order to get it in before the tobacco deteriorated. “We stayed behind the whole time. I finished earlier than I ever have.” The yield was “terrible,” he added. “Maybe 1,500 or 1,600 pounds per acre.” WINNERS FROM THE N.C. FAIR Tie that tobacco! The Maple Hill Loopers won the N.C. State Fair’s Tobacco Stringing on Oct. 13. It was the team’s ninth win. The team is made up of husband and wife Sandy and Ken Jones of Maple Hill and Michael Sunday of Hendersonville. Terrific tips: Brent Leggett of Nashville, N.C., was awarded the Commissioner’s Award for his tobacco. “Hands down, Brent’s entry in the tips category was the best,” said Stan Biconish, superintendent of the tobacco heritage competition. “From su-perior leaf texture to the quality of the leaf and its maturity, his tobacco was a standout.“ REPORT FROM OVERSEAS Why world production is down: Ivan Genov, manager of tobacco industry analysis for the International Tobacco Growers Association, listed the driving forces in the main tobacco-growing countries: “Unfavorable weather patterns in leading markets including Brazil, Zimbabwe and the US were a key contributor to decreased total global sales in 2024.” A few markets registered growth, said Genov, with Malawi, a key country for burley, having a particularly positive year.

WAS HELENE A MAJOR OBSTACLE TO HARVEST?

>Winds and rain from Hurricane Helene crushed this greenhouse in south Georgia. Photo courtesy of J. Michael Moore, Univ.l of Georgia. GEORGIA-FLORIDA--Growers are still in cleanup mode in Georgia and Florida, says J. Michael Moore, Georgia Extension tobacco specialist. But the damage from Helene was nowhere near what Debby caused. One reason is that harvest was for all practical purposes complete when Helene arrived. Some tobacco was still curing, causing problems where the power went out. "Now, we have almost finished marketing,” says Moore. “I know of several hundred bales that are going to be delivered next Tuesday. After that there will be very little left to sell. We are close to closing the doors on this crop”... There was a good market for pickings this season, Moore says. “A lot of them went for $1 a pound”...Moore estimates that Georgia-Florida growers will market maybe 55 percent of expected production. “So many of our farmers are way short of pounds. They may be short of financing too. But my impression is that local lenders still have faith in tobacco farmers.” SOUTH CAROLINA--No tobacco remained in the field in South Carolina when Helene struck, says William Hardee, Extension tobacco specialist. “In the Pee Dee, winds got up as high as 40 to 50 miles an hour with three to six inches of rain.” That was very mild compared to upstate S.C. and surrounding states. "We were very fortunate," says Hardee. "2024 was a very challenging season with a lower yield than we hoped for. However, good prices at the marketplace have helped our growers. Most are ready to put this season behind them." NORTH CAROLINA--In the East, farmers should finish harvest next week. "That would be mid October, which is right on time for some of our larger operations," says Matthew Vann, N.C. Extension tobacco specialist. “We have no frost warning yet, and I don’t think that is going to be a problem. Barring another disaster, we should finish this crop smoothly. In the Old Belt, we probably should have two or three weeks to go, but the recent storms may have caused enough plant stress to not let that happen.” There was definitely more stress from Hurricane Helene in the Piedmont than the Coastal Plain, Vann says…No more than 15% of the flue-cured crop is still in the field now, Vann says, maybe less…An estimated 55% of the N.C. burley crop was still in the field as of September 29, according to USDA-NASS. The extreme rains and winds associated with Helene would have been catastrophic for N.C. burley in the old days but now so little burley is grown there that it is less of a problem...In the Coastal Plain, damage from Helene was extremely minimal. What there was mainly infrastructure damage. There were power outages and some localized flooding. “We fared well in the East.”" KENTUCKY--Helene wasn’t catastrophic to Kentucky tobacco farmers but it definitely posed some challenges, says Bob Pearce, Kentucky Extension tobacco specialist. There was one compensating benefit: It helped with the humidity. “Our cured leaf quality may have been improved by the moisture left behind by the storm. We were in the midst of a drought prior to the storm. Partially cured tobacco came into high case and stayed that way for serval days leading to a darker color in the cured leaf. There was a lot of rain, in the four to five inch range.” There could have been damage to tobacco in barns. “But our farmers generally got them closed up before the storm arrived,” says Pearce...Kentucky farmers were a little behind on harvesting. “But we were at least 80% harvested, maybe more,” says Pearce. “Now, of what is still in the field, some has been delayed by the rain and wet conditions. But that is a relatively small portion of the crop"... Pearce expects marketing to begin in November. TENNESSEE--Eastern Tennessee and Western North Carolina might have been the hardest hit tobacco areas, but these areas produce relatively little tobacco any more so loss will not be high. Helene's damage was also limited by the fact that it struck late in the season: Farmers in the hurricane's direct path had mostly wrapped up harvest when Helene arrived, but there may still be some left in the field, particularly in middle Tennessee, says Mitchell Richmond, Tennessee Extension tobacco specialist. “Normally, we would finish up harvest in the next few days.” (Note: USDA-NASS estimated that 80% of the crop had been cut by September 29.) “Most of our tobacco acreage is concentrated in middle TN, and only a few growers are still producing in East TN.” The storm had one favorable side effect. “The curing season needed more moisture because it was so dry before Helene. If there is any benefit from the storm it is that the moisture it brought will help the cure”…The eastern counties that experienced flooding are still grappling with loss of family and friends, loss of property, power outages and debris cleanup. “There are a lot of people struggling in the aftermath of Helene in east TN and western NC. There is a great deal of damage. Some farms that grow produce lost their entire crop and all the topsoil in their river bottom fields.” Richmond adds, “One of the tobacco fields used for black shank research in Greene County, TN had about 20 feet of water rushing over top." That particular field bordered the enormously overflowed Nolichucky River. "The effect of Helene will be felt for weeks, months, and years to come," he says. BLACK PATCH—For this area too, the effects of Helene were relatively mild. “We had six inches of rain from last Thursday to Wednesday of this week,” says Andy Bailey, Kentucky-Tennessee Extension dark specialist. “There was no major damage to the crop in the field, and we still have a lot in the field.” It was a late crop already, and then it was delayed further by the weather last week. The rain was actually beneficial, he says. “It had gotten so dry before the storm. A lot of the rainfall soaked in, and afterward we had better soil moisture.” Among the negatives from the storm: A few barns were lost, and diseases were worsened, including a little angular leafspot. But this crop of dark tobacco appears to be of good quality, although the dark air-cured and some of the burley grown in the area are a little high in color, Bailey says.

MARKETING A SERIOUSLY SHORT CROP

PRICES HAVE BEEN HIGH at the warehouses in N.C. that sell flue-cured leaf at auction. A representative of one of the warehouses--Tommy Faulkner, auction manager at American Tobacco Exchange of Wilson, N.C., tells TFN that sales at his house have gone very well so far. "We have had good prices and high volume," he says. "The quality is good. Our prices have been competitive with contract prices." At American Tobacco Exchange, it has ranged from $1.65 to $2.55 a pound, he says. "Farmers seem to be well satisfied with the bids. There has been little or no rejection by farmers"…Marketing this crop may prove quite a challenge since the volume seems certain to be quite short. "This crop couldn’t get out of its own way, what with the drought and then the hurricane," says Faulkner. "Now we are looking at a very short crop"... The auction warehouses serving flue-cured are all in North Carolina: two in Wilson and one in Rural Hall. There may be another shortly. TFN will keep you posted. Phone numbers and street addresses appear below. As far as the editor knows, no burley auction warehouses are operating this year. --Horizon Ltd., 1723 Goldsboro St. So., Wilson, N.C. Contact Kenneth Kelly at 252 292 8822. --American Tobacco Exchange, 10 AM, 2101 Miller Rd., Wilson, NC. Contact auction manager Tommy Faulkner at 910 585 2708. --Old Belt Tobacco Sales, 1395 Old Belt Way, Rural Hall, N.C. Call owner Dennis White for information: 336 416 6262. FLUE-CURED Georgia-Florida were probably the states worst hit by Tropical Storm Debby. “Most farmers will be significantly short of pounds,” says J. Michael Moore, Georgia Extension tobacco specialist. “We have about 50% of what we should have.” Every tobacco county in the states was affected. “We had very powerful winds—in Florida, they got up to 80 to 90 miles per hour." The winds stripped leaf off the stalk, and sometimes the whipping effect caused premature yellowing, he said. In South Carolina, where the damage to Debby was nearly as much as in GA-FL, harvest is now wrapping up. “I would expect barns to be unloaded by the end of this week if not sooner,” says William Hardee, S.C. Extension tobacco specialist. It is not a crop farmers will remember with affection. “Dry weather earlier on in the season stunted the crop, but rain in mid-July turned it around and we were in good shape except for some soilborne disease pressure." Then Tropical Storm Debby arrived, causing bad losses of yield and quality. “I would estimate there was 40% to 50% crop loss from the storm,” he says. One cheering note: Despite the challenging season, this crop seems to be moving well into the markets. In N0rth Carolina, there was a lot of tobacco still in the fields after Debby passed through, says Matthew Vann, N.C. Extension specialist. Deterioration was rapid in the worst areas but the condition stabilized thanks to cool weather, and the crop has responded very well considering the conditions. "Some of the leaf that has been delivered has looked pretty good," Vann says. "We are starting to see distinct stalk separation and good color being delivered. I'm hearing that we have a good orange color in this crop." Most of the leaf in the field now is ripe and ready for harvest, he adds. Virginia suffered less from Tropical Storm Debby than the other flue-cured states. Stephen Barts, Extension agent in Pittsylvania County, Va., estimated the losses in the Southside caused by all the late-season bad weather were from 10% to 15%. Now, the problem is harvesting what is left behind, and the question is whether there will be enough time to get it all in. "We will probably still be harvesting till October and maybe into November if frost holds off," he says. The long-term average first frost date is October 15 but in the last few years it has tended to be later. DARK & WRAPPER In the Black Patch, dark fire-cured growers in Kentucky and Tennessee are about halfway through harvest, says Andy Bailey, Extension dark specialist. Dark air-cured and burley harvest may be closer to 75% complete. Tropical Storm Debby wasn’t a factor here, but Tropical Storm Francine was expected to bring two to three inches of rain Thursday. “I am not sure how much this rain will help,” Bailey says…Generally, it is a pretty good crop. Most is late, having been planted in June following a wet May. “We were dry through late June, saw weekly rainfall through the end of July, and then we had an extremely dry August and early September,” says Bailey...Volume of the 2024 dark tobacco crop (both types) in the KY/TN area is estimated by USDA at: --Fire-cured: 24 million lbs. (down about 30% from 2023) and --Dark air-cured: 11 million lbs. (down about 10% from 2023). BURLEY In Kentucky, soil moisture deficits continue to worsen. Dry conditions continued this week as most of Kentucky is now under abnormally dry or moderate drought conditions. Topping is largely complete thanks to conducive weather, and the percentage cut—77%--has increased substantially, according to USDA’s September 16 report. Tobacco remaining in the field continued to be in mostly good condition at that time. Housed tobacco was in mostly fair condition, but producers need improved curing conditions. The dry weather and relatively low humidity has impacted curing conditions for the burley crop. In Tennessee, growers experienced high temperatures last week, but some regions of the state finally received rainfall pushed up from the recent hurricane down south. Tennessee continued to experience hot and dry weather conditions through that date. Because of the minimal precipitation, ponds and creeks were drying up fast. Crop conditions were also suffering with high temperatures and lack of rain. Among the regions where tobacco is grown, the Northeastern counties received some spotty showers throughout the week, but barely avoided drought status. FROM USDA's SEPTEMBER CROP REPORT The 2024 United States all tobacco production is forecast at 351 million pounds, down 6 percent from the previous forecast and down 12 percent from 2023 for comparable States. Area harvested, at 172,200 acres, is up 1 percent from the previous month but down slightly from last year for comparable States. Yield for the 2024 crop year is forecast at 2,040 pounds per acre, and 279 pounds below last year for comparable States.. Bickers Editing Service | 903-9 Shellbrook Ct. | Raleigh, NC 27609 US Unsubscribe | Update Profile | Constant Contact Data Notice

CAN THE STRANGE CONDITIONS OF 2024 GET ANY STRANGER?

Is the sun setting on dark tobacco? After challenging weather in the field, the dark tobacco growers of Kentucky and Tennessee are facing marketing difficulty as the snuff products that make up their main market lose consumption to alternative smokeless products which don't contain any dark. Learn more at the KY Dark Tobacco Twilight Tour, August 8, 5:30 PM to 8PM, at the West Farm of Murray State University at Robertson Road No., Murray KY. For more information, contact Andy Bailey, 270 625 1560, abailey@uky.edu. Photo of dark plantings near Princeton KY by Andrea Webb, University of Kentucky. JULY CROP REPORT FLUE-CURED North Carolina: This season has been the strangest Matthew Vann has ever experienced. The high (or low) points in the weather calendar were: --30 days of hot/dry weather in April, --30 days of cool and wet weather in May, --30 days in June of what may be the worst drought anyone remembers, --Significant rain since July began. "As dry as we were in June, now we would like the rain to stop,' says Vann, NC Extension tobacco specialist. "I’d guess that most in the Middle and Eastern belt have had more than five inches over the last week. I know of some that will pass a foot." One bit of good news: The N.C. crop rebounded very well from the June conditions. "Through last week I was very pleased with a lot of what I was seeing. I’m now crossing my fingers for drier days. We’re behind in harvest due to the conditions, but I’ve seen good quality lower-stalk tobacco, especially considering what it’s been through." South Carolina: Rains that fell the last two weeks helped fill out leaf in the Pee Dee and other parts of SC, says William Hardee, S.C. Extension tobacco specialist. “We went from very dry in the month of June, to excessive moisture in most areas now." With that came an increase in Granville wilt and black shank pressure. "Harvest is in full swing across the area, but field conditions have slowed progress. What I've seen coming out of the barn looks good so far," says Hardee. Virginia: After no measurable rain in June or the beginning of July, it finally started raining in the Southside of Virginia after the July 4 holiday, says Stephen Barts, Extension tobacco agent. “There have definitely been good results, and I am hoping that the moisture will help us get where we need to be"...Topping was delayed considerably by the dry weather but the tops are coming out now. As far as Bart knows, no flue-cured has been pulled yet. “But a couple of flue-cured growers plan to start harvest next week.” The area grows dark Virginia tobacco and Connecticut broadleaf. One Connecticut grower cut some broadleaf July 24, which was the first leaf harvest in the Danville area... There have been some problems in Virginia besides drought. --There were two days of strong storms that blew some plants down. --Most of the stalk-cut tobacco (dark and Connecticut) has been irrigated already. --Pressure from soilborne diseases is building up in the field. BURLEY Kentucky: Overall, conditions were steady from last week with no large shifts, says USDA. The state experienced near normal temperatures and above normal rainfall. Many parts of the state received enough rainfall to relieve heat stress on crops. But precipitation in the Central and Bluegrass regions was less prevalent than elsewhere. Thirty five percent of tobacco acres are estimated to be blooming this week (the week ending July 28); 11% of the total acres were being topped...Coming up: KY Bluegrass Tobacco Tour, August 7, 10 AM Eastern Time at the Plant and Soil Sciences Field Lab, 2951 Agronomy Road, Lexington. For more information, contact Bob Pearce, Extension Tobacco Specialist, at (859) 257-5110. Tennessee: Twenty four percent of the tobacco crop had been topped by July 21, says USDA. Many counties finally received between half an inch to an inch of precipitation this week. But despite the rain showers, drought conditions worsened across the state. More counties in the east entered moderate to severe drought. REPORT FROM OVERSEAS Malawi: Market winds up strong. With sales scheduled to end in early August, Malawi farmers had sold 129 million kilograms of tobacco (mostly burley) at Malawian markets in the current crop year. This represents a 7% increase from last year's 120 million kgs but is 11 million kgs less than the 140 million kgs projected in the previous survey in February. “We attribute the difference to rampant illegal cross border trade, persistent dry spells after the second round and post harvest losses,” said the Tobacco Commission of Malawi. Nevertheless, the 2024 Malawi selling season has been one of the best in recent years in view of unprecedented prices and smooth trading, said the commission. “As of July 11, 123.4 million kilograms valued at $367.1 million had been sold at an average price of $2.95 per kg.” The average price for the year before was $2.35/kg on 121 million pounds, according to the commission. In other tobacco news... The economic importance of auction markets and their significance in history will be commemorated in a ceremony at the August 14 opening of the Wilson [NC} Tobacco Market. The ceremony celebrates the 135th anniversary of the Wilson market and will feature remarks by N.C. Agriculture Commissioner Steve Troxler, U.S. Congressman Don Davis, and Parker Phillips, who will read a new poem celebrating the institution of tobacco auctioning. The ceremony will be held at the Horizon Limited tobacco warehouse at 1721 Goldsboro St SW, Wilson, starting with breakfast at 7:30. The warehouse will conduct a full-scale auction sale right after the ceremony. There will be a sponsored breakfast will beginning at 7:30 AM with the program starting at 8. For more information, call 252.237.0111.

RAISING TOBACCO IN A SEASON THAT'S BEEN HISTORICALLY DRY

In North Carolina, June was "historically" dry with most farmers reporting less than an inch of rain for the entire month, says Matthew Vann, N.C. Extension tobacco specialist. “July has been much better, for the most part. We’re by no means out of drought conditions, but a saving rain has fallen in the Middle and Eastern Belts. The upper stalk is now developing quite nicely”…Dry areas still exist, he adds, especially in the Old Belt, which missed a lot of the July rain. Irrigation pumps were kept going there…“I’d estimate that a decent number of growers out east have started cropping. Some started over a month ago. The quality I’ve seen is much better than anticipated”…Given the extreme conditions and later-than-desired planting dates (due to a wet May), N.C. flue-cured is at all stages of growth right now, says Vann. “Some is just being laid by. This will be a late season in those areas. We’ve got a lot of time ahead of us, but the clock is ticking.” A fervent hope: “That the rain doesn’t cut off for another month”...In Kentucky, last week was drier and hotter than normal, affecting all crops, says USDA. Many crops are severely stunted--rainfall would greatly improve conditions, especially in Eastern Kentucky which received very little precipitation from Hurricane Beryl…Twenty-five percent of Kentucky’s tobacco crop is blooming and is in mostly good condition. Topping has begun, but is still in the early stage...Upcoming tobacco events: NC Tobacco Field Day, July 17, 9 AM to 12 PM at Cunningham Research Station, 200 Cunningham Rd, Kinston, NC...KY Corn, Soybean and Tobacco Field Day. July 23, 8 AM to 12 AM, at the UK Research & Education Center, 1205 Hopkinsville St., Princeton KY...VA Row Crop Field Day, July 25, 4:30 PM, Southern Piedmont AREC, 2375 Darvills Road, Blackstone, VA. Registration begins at 4:30 PM. Dinner will be served at 5 PM, followed by a tour of tobacco and other field crop research. To register, please visit: https:// tinyurl.com/Crop-Field-Day...KY Dark Tobacco Twilight Tour, August 8, 5:30PM to 8PM, at the West Farm of Murray State University at Robertson Road No., Murray KY. For more information: Call Andy Bailey, 270 625 1560, or email him at abailey@uky.edu...REPORT FROM OVERSEAS ZIMBABWE At the end of June, the tobacco market had achieved 212 million kilograms of tobacco sold, generating a total revenue of $732,248,158 for tobacco farmers. The average price is $3.45 with the highest price at $6.99. Fewer bales have been rejected this year compared to last year. By this time last year, total sales reached 278 million kilograms at an average price of $3.02 per kilogram. The target for the upcoming season is 265 million kg of tobacco, a volume lower than this season’s and much lower than last year's record 297 million kg. This year’s crop was affected by the drought induced by El Nino...BRAZIL The recent floods in Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil’s leading tobacco state, resulted in an estimated U$20 million) in losses for nearly two thousand tobacco producers, according to a survey conducted by the Interstate Tobacco Industry Union (SindiTabaco). The loss would certainly have been greater had not the floods occurred during the offseason wnen little if any tobacco was in the field.

Despite heat PROSPECTS STILL GOOD IN GA/FLA

b>> A crowd of more than 70 participants turned out for the 2024 Georgia-Florida Tobacco Tour on June 17, 18 and 19. They saw a crop that still has promise. But there have been some problems, said Georgia Extension tobacco specialist J. Michael Moore. “In places there were straight line winds that knocked over some plants.” Recent rainfall has broken a month long drought just as growers dodge showers to apply sucker control materials..... The news on disease is threatening. “It’s a bad year for tomato spotted wilt,” Moore says. “Up to 30% of our plants are showing symptoms of the disease.” He expects growers will lose 10 to 15% of their yield. A very mild winter and an abundance of alternate hosts may be among the reasons for the high infestation. As if that isn’t enough, black shank is showing up..... Plants have been very irregular in height in Georgia during the dry weather, making timing of sucker control stressful. Growers are encouraged to remove flowers early and control suckers in a timely manner. This is certainly a season when you want as many pounds in the leaf as you can get, says Moore..... Other tours and research days coming up:.....The South Carolina Tobacco Tour, beginning with checkin from 3 to 6 July 9 at the Hotel Florence in Florence. The tour begins at the Pee Dee Research and Education Center Pavilion at 7:45 AM on July 10. Ends after lunch near Loris..... --The NC Tobacco Field Day, June 17, 9 AM to 12 PM at Cunningham Research Station, 200 Cunningham Rd, Kinston, NC..... --The KY Corn, Soybean, Tobacco Field Day, at the UK Research & Education Center, 1205 Hopkinsville St., Princeton KY, July 23, 8 AM. For more information--https://wkrec. ca.uky.edu/ events/corn-soybean-tobacco-field-day-0..... Planting is nearly complete for burley and dark: According to USDA, the Kentucky crop (all types) is 95% set with 3% blooming. In Tennessee tobacco (all types) is 91% transplanted with 1% topped. And in North Carolina, burley is 83% planted..... It’s dry in burley and dark country too: Portions of the Bluegrass and Eastern Kentucky are now considered abnormally dry, says USDA, and Tennessee experienced very hot and dry weather last week with minimal rainfall..... Planting is done in South Carolina, Georgia/ Florida and the flue-cured counties of North Carolina. It is hot and dry there too-- Tobacco and vegetable fields without irrigation in Georgia were reported to be in desperate need of rain, said USDA, although the southern half of Georgia received some much-needed rain last week, with areas on the border with Florida receiving the most precipitation..... Splitworm alert: Be on the lookout for tobacco splitworm, says Lorena Lopez, N.C. Extension entomologist. None have been spotted in North Carolina so far, but the weather conditions could set the stage for an outbreak. Splitworm larvae tunnel between the upper and lower surfaces of tobacco leaves, starting from the bottom leaves. Management is difficult. Alert your local Extension agent if you think you have them..... Among other pests that could be a problem, she says:..... There are instances of tomato spotted wilt virus, especially in Johnston County, but the historical 10% incidence has not been surpassed. Tobacco streak virus, which is not often a problem in North Carolina, has made an appearance. It is hard to differentiate from tomato spotted wilt virus. Hornworm was on the increase, but has been reduced after topping. Lopez, a native of Colombia,is new to the NC Extension tobacco team. She joined the N.C. Extension Service and the Department of Entomology & Plant Pathology as an assistant extension professor five months ago. She came to the United States to study entomology at the University of Florida, where she earned a doctorate. Lopez’s goal is to empower growers with the tools and knowledge to tackle pest challenges effectively, while promoting environmental sustainability in their agricultural practices.

TOO MUCH DRY WEATHER IN MUCH OF THE TOBACCO BELT

  TOBACCO FARMER NEWSLETTER JUNE II 2024 Be careful what you wish for: In May, North Carolina growers wished the rain would let up, says Matthew Vann, N.C. Extension tobacco spec ialist. “It did. We have had no rain since then”…There was no oversupply of plants, but it seems there were enough to plant the whole crop…The crop was completely planted by the start of June…Many irrigation ponds are in need of replenishing and need rain badly. If they don’t get it, farmers may have to pick and choose between which fields to water…Topping and sucker control application are going full tilt in N.C. now, and farmers are cleaning up their fields…A record has been set. Two farmers in Eastern N.C. began harvesting their crop this week, according to their county agents. “This is the earliest date that har-vesting has ever taken place in their areas from what I hear,” says Vann… North Carolina Extension will hold a tobacco field day Wednesday July 17, 9 AM PM at the Cunningham Research Station, 200 Cunningham Rd., Kinston: https://tobacco.ces.ncsu.edu/vent/2968995597/tobacco-field-day/ Catching up in Kentucky: “We may not be caught up, but we are not as far behind as we were,” says Bob Pearce, Kentucky Extension tobacco specialist. “Growers have made good progress with planting since last week.” Perhaps 20% remains to be planted. “There are not a lot of extra transplants out there so shortages may limit the total amount planted. Hopefully, as planting ends on individual farms, farmers will find some unused plants they can sell.” Burley that has already been planted is looking good so far. Farther up the road, Pearce sees a potential problem. “A whole lot of this crop was set out all at one time. All that tobacco could mature around the same time and cause harvest scheduling problems, “he says…For now, the main problem is that it has gotten hot and dry. “It has been abnormally warm the last few weeks and the rain has fallen off,” says Pearce. “We are going to need a good general rain in the next week and a half.” Conditions for transplanting in Tennessee have gotten better. “We have had some favorable weather for setting, and the rains have improved,” says Mitchell Richmond, Tennessee Extension tobacco specialist. “We are behind but we are on the right track. May was not a good month. There was way too much rain.” That slowed transplanting somewhat and Richmond estimates that about 25% still remains to be set. Tennesseans didn’t suffer too much of a plant shortage… The Tobacco, Beef & More Field Day will be held Thursday, June 27 at the UT Highland Rim Research & Education Center, Springfield TN. In the Black Patch, farmers are moving as fast as they can to finish transplanting. One reason: “June 20 was the deadline for full crop i surance, and farmers were anxious to be finished by that date,” says Andy Bailey, Kentucky-Tennessee Extension tobacco specialist. Making it more difficult is that growers in western Kentucky and north central Tennessee have had to replant at least a few fields due to transplant shock from hot, dry conditions recently, said Bailey. There was definitely a shortage of plants, especially where farmers chose to re-set. Growers had enough plants to transplant all their fields the first time, but there is no surplus of plants available now for replanting. All transplants seem to be gone or spoken for.’’ In general, tobacco here is two or even three weeks late because of the wet conditions over much of the past six weeks…The Kentucky Corn, Soybean and Tobacco Field day will be held Tuesday, July 23, at the UK Research & Education Center in Princeton KY. For more information, go to htps:// w krec.ca.uky.edu/events/corn-soy bean-tobacco-field-day-0. No registration required… The crop in Virginia was planted a little late, says Stephen Barts, Extension agent in Pittsylvania County, Va., the main flue-cured producing county in the state (along with Virginia dark fire-cured and Connecticut broadleaf). Most of the crop was planted in late May and the first days of June but planting dates were widespread: Some tobacco went out to the field in April, while some was set two weeks ago. Barts says the late planted might look the best right now. The main problem so far has been lack of moisture. “We are extremely dry right now,” says Barts. “We haven’t had a measurable rain in the month of June.” Still, some growers may be able to begin topping next week, especially if it finally starts raining. Also, some growers have started watering their crop. But overall irrigation capacity is low so they probably will be able to operate their irrigation only once or maybe twice. They certainly won’t be able to supply the crop’s full needs. REPORT FROM OVERSEAS ZIMBABWE: Production of the crop that is just finishing marketing is expected to be down a projected 20%. A drought was the reason. It was blamed on climate change and was made worse by El Niño. Zimbabwe growers harvested a record 326,000 tons of tobacco (almost all flue-cured) last year, but this year no more than 259,000 tons is expected. The shortfall could derail the country’s expansion plans: Zimbabwe has had a national growth program in place since 2021, and its goal is production of 330,000 tons by the end of 2025. But with the small crop of 2024 staring growers in the face, it is much to be wondered if that goal will be reached. TOBACCO TOURS The South Carolina Tobacco Tour is scheduled for July 9 and 10. It will kick off with check-in at the Hotel Florence on July 9 from 3 to 6 PM. The first stop will be at Pee Dee Research and Education Center Pavilion at 7:45 AM on July 10. The tour will end after lunch near Stevens Farms in Loris around 12 PM.

A SLOW START THANKS TO RAIN

  Above: A Kentucky farmer plants burley in the Bluegrass in late May. A SLOW START THANKS TO RAIN It’s been a very wet start to the season in Tennessee. “Rainfall has been above average and spaced out enough to keep fields too wet for transplanting,” says Mitchell Richmond, Tennessee Extension tobacco specialist. Last week it was wide open on any field that was dry enough to plant, he says. “But we are a week or so behind normal. We are struggling to find a window to get the crop planted.” Through Friday, Richmond estimated that 10% to 15% of the crop had been set out. “It might be a little more but definitely less than 20%.” In Kentucky, planting is definitely behind schedule. “It’s basically been wet,” says Joe Cain, Executive Director for the Kentucky Burley & Dark Tobacco Producers Association (KBDTPA). “A lot still needs to be set. You still see fields with standing water.” Although late last week saw frantic planting activity by farmers, that may not be possible this week. Weather forecasts predict a chance of rainfall every day this week till Saturday, and it was raining Monday. “We are just waiting for conditions to be right,” says Cain. “Tobacco setting, at 36 percent, is well behind both last year and the five-year average,” said NASS. “Both corn and tobacco are rated as mostly good condition despite recent weather setbacks.” Organizations blend in Kentucky: The Council for Burley Tobacco voted in March to come under the administration of KBDTPA. But it will maintain a separate identity and will continue to collect grower checkoffs and tags. The two organizations now share largely similar directorial boards and officers and will hold joint board meetings. Note: Kara Keeton, longtime executive of CBT, has left the organization. There’s not been much dry weather in the Black Patch in recent weeks but growers have been able to make some progress. “During the few dry days we have had, we got a lot set,” says Andy Bailey, Kentucky-Tennessee Extension dark specialist. “As of today (June 3), I would say 40% is set, maybe 50%. That is better than two weeks ago, but we are still behind where we would like to be.” Now, there is reason for optimism. “Weather forecasts say Thursday and Friday are likely to be dry,” he says. “I am sure our farmers will be ready to take advantage of that or any opportunity they get to plant.” Blank shank showing up in Georgia. That should be no surprise with the wet spring, says J. Michael Moore, Georgia Extension tobacco specialist. Tomato spotted wilt has also made its appearance—Moore estimated that about 25% of plants across the state are infected. There is no reason to push the panic button yet on either disease. The popularity of KT 222 keeps on growing. The nearly new burley variety appears headed for planting on 70% of acreage in Tennessee this season. It’s key strength: Very good resistance to both strains of black shank. “Growers in the burley belt seemed to like performance of KT 222 in terms of yield last year,” says Richmond. Plantings report by selected states from USDA-NASS as of June 3: (Flue) GA*—100%; NC—91%; VA--92. (Burley) KY--36% (includes Dark); NC--34%; VA 75%. (Dark) VA 69%. *Extension Service estimate. TOBACCO TOURS IN JUNE:  The South Carolina Tobacco Tour is scheduled for July 9 and 10. It will kick off with check-in at the Hotel Florence on July 9 from 3 to 6 PM. The first stop will be at Pee Dee Research and Education Center Pavilion at 7:45 AM on July 10. The tour will end after lunch near Stevens Farms in Loris around 12 PM. The Georgia-Florida Tobacco Tour will begin with a Kick-Off Supper at H&H Farms, 1151 Evergreen Church Rd., Cobbtown, GA, near Metter, on Monday evening, and end at lunch on June 18 at Live Oak FL. Go to www.georgiatobacco.com information and directions. REPORT FROM OVERSEAS: Malawi production up: The Tobacco Commission (TC) of Malawi is projecting a 17% increase in volume from the current season compared to what the country’s farmers produced in 2023. But it could have been more, according to the website Malawi 24. “The latest report attributes the decrease in the projected production (in January) from 146 million to 140 million kilograms due to prolonged dry spells in most parts of the country and poor establishment and performance of some dark fire-cured tobacco in the Northern region,” said a spokesman for the Commission. Facebook X Instagram  

WILL PLANT SUPPLIES BE ADEQUATE?

Trying to beat the plant shortage: A transplanting crew in Wilson County, N.C., sets plants at full speed. Will there be enough to go around? Photo by Christopher Bickers.  In North Carolina, about 50% of the acreage has been set, says Matthew Vann, N.C. Extension tobacco specialist. Transplanting began around April 1. A plant shortage could very well take place and that could be a problem. New seedings, should anyone try to grow them, are not likely to help. “It would take 40 days to grow a new crop, and plantings that late (June) aren’t going to have much chance of success,” says Vann. The transplant crop in Kentucky looks good in the greenhouse, but the yield may fall a bit short of needs, says Bob Pearce, Kentucky Extension tobacco specialist. “We would normally expect to get 85 to 90% usable plants, which would meet our needs. But currently it looks like usability may average in the 70 to 80% range”…Early season cutworms were common in float bed plants this year, he adds...USDA estimates that only a small amount of the tobacco crop in the state--maybe 2%--was in the ground by May 5.   In Tennessee, there have been no major issues in greenhouses so far, says Mitchell Richmond, Tennessee Extension tobacco specialist. “We had some recent cutworm infestations, but no major insect and disease pressure to note.” There were a couple of cold nights, but no damage was reported in the outdoor floatbeds. “Largely we are on track and transplanting is expected to start in the next couple of weeks or so, which is about normal,” he says. “We are just waiting for the weather now.”   The plants are looking good in the Southside of Virginia, too, but there is no great abundance. “I think we will have enough plants to meet our needs as long as we don’t have a disaster of some sort,” says Stephen Barts, Extension agent in Pittsylvania County, Va. Planting in the area got going seriously this past Saturday and Monday, but the pace wasn’t very fast since most of the area has been significantly dry. “Only the southern part of the county has gotten much rain,” Barts says...Virginians who use H2A labor (as most do) got off to a slow start since their workers arrived late, says Barts. But he thinks they will all catch up...USDA estimates that through May 5, 17% of Virginia's flue-cured had been set out, 12% of the state's burley had been set out and 10% of the state's dark fire-cured had been set. Transplanting in South Carolina is around 75 to 80% complete, says William Hardee, S.C. Extension tobacco specialist. “The crop looks pretty good so far, but we would certainly benefit from some rain,” he says.” Most of our tobacco was set in beds with pretty good moisture but has had little rain since.” Like most other tobacco states, S.C.’s supply of plants is somewhat questionable.

WET MAY STYMIES PLANTING

A flue-cured grower clips plants in Eastern North Carolina. Photo by Christopher Bickers. BLACK PATCH: Growers here and almost everywhere in the United States had the same complaint in mid May—“ We are tired of clipping plants.” Reason? Planting has been significantly delayed by rain. Only about five percent of the tobacco expected to be grown this year in western Kentucky and north central Tennessee has been set out to date, says Andy Bailey, Kentucky Extension tobacco specialist. It’s been wet for 10 to 14 days, says Bailey. “Some had been set the first couple of days of May and even the last few days of April, but not much has gone to the field since then.” Curiously, the season had been dry before until the rainy spell. “We are in a holding pattern. But we are not in a panic mode yet.” In the meantime, it is recommended that Black Patch growers make an extra application of Terramaster to slow plant growth and also lower their rate of nitrogen. Dark plantings are down from recent years and that means the lateness is not the problem it might have been. “There won’t be as much need to double cure barns because of the reduced amount of leaf that will be produced,” says Bailey. “The delay would be more of a concern if we had a larger crop.”   KENTUCKY: Tobacco setting has been “stymied” by rain, according to USDA. By its estimates, 14 percent of the state’s crop had been transplanted by May 19 compared to 23 percent at the same point last season. Fieldwork was disrupted by scattered precipitation throughout the week. River bottoms were particularly susceptible. But the supply of transplants appears adequate to allow producers to ramp up setting this week, weather permitting, the agency said. NORTH CAROLINA: The weather made a drastic turnaround here in the last two weeks, says Matthew Vann, N.C. Extension tobacco specialist. “I’d been saying we need rain, but now we need the rain to stop for a while. Since the evening of May 3rd through May 17, we had from 1.5 inches to maybe as much as four or five inches in spots.” More was expected in the weekend just past.    In the N.C. Old Belt, farmers had stopped planting before May 3 in most counties because it was so dry. “Now they’re ready to resume planting,” says Vann. “But first we need significant drying time. We’ll see how this plays out--we have considerable ground to cover over the next two weeks, but I’m confident we can get it done.”   As wet as it’s been, North Carolinians are quite fortunate that air temperatures have been rather moderate, says Vann. “Otherwise, we’d likely see a significant amount of sunscald, even with this crop being at such an early growth stage.”    Parts of the N.C. crop were very early set. “Some of it has been laid by or is being laid by now but a lot remains,” says Vann. “Given our conditions, I expect that it’s about to start jumping.”   Overall, things look good in North Carolina considering the extremes that have been experienced, Vann says.  GEORGIA/FLORIDA: The crops in the Deep South are at least a week behind schedule, largely because it has been wet from one side of the tobacco area to the other. “This is not a positive thing,” says J. Michael Moore, Georgia Extension tobacco specialist. “We would be cultivating and applying fertilizer now, but the rain has delayed it. Little has been laid by so far.” He notes though that the color is great. And tomato spotted wilt virus appears to be low. The crop is completely planted in Georgia and Florida. The last acreage went in May 11. There were enough plants to go around, but just barely. “Now, our plants are all gone,” says Moore. There have been several tornadoes so far this season, including one a week ago that damaged tobacco in a path from Tallahassee, Fla., to Live Oak. Moore says farmers have generally been able to stand back up plants that were blown down. Because of the lateness of the crop, the starting date for the Georgia-Florida Tobacco Tour has been pushed back to June 17. It will begin with a Kick-Off Supper outside Metter, Ga., on Monday evening, and end at lunch on June 18 at Live Oak.  BRAZIL: The tobacco-producing area of Brazil has been having even worse problems with rain. Heavy storms the first week of May have lead to record-setting floods in Rio Grande do Sul, the state with the largest concentration of tobacco farms. This is the off season for tobacco this far south, so there is not likely to be much, if any, in the field. But there could be damage to fields because of the deluge and also damage to the infrastructure needed to service a leaf economy.