Kentucky tobacco growers still wrangling
with Mother Nature to produce decent crop
Kentucky’s tobacco-growing season hasn’t been an easy one, due to an abundance of rain and cooler temperatures. (Photo by Tim Thornberry)
By Tim Thornberry
KyForward correspondent
As Kentucky’s tobacco-growing season comes to an end, the consensus seems to be it hasn’t been an easy one.
For one thing, tobacco is more of a dry, warm-weather crop, and this...
Even in this rough growing year, Kentucky tobacco producers should still get good prices
A tobacco field in Franklin County (Photo by Tim Thornberry)
By Tim Thornberry
KyForward correspondent
Even under the best of circumstances, agricultural markets are difficult to gauge at times, so as the burley tobacco season progresses and producers analyze their crops and how much damage has been done by excessive rains this year, the reality of what this tobacco will do at market...
Growing tobacco is not easy, but it is still
a tradition for many Kentucky farmers
Randy Smither finishes the planting phase of 125 acres of burley tobacco. (Photo by Tim Thornberry)
By Tim Thornberry
KyForward correspondent
Tobacco may not generate the revenue it once did, but Kentucky’s crop is still worth nearly $400 million annually in spite of changes in the market and government regulations. And that number is likely to remain steady and may climb if the...