Article on Burley Tobacco in Kentucky
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One thing I discovered along my tobacco journey is that I hate burley blends, the only exception is if it's in a cavendish blend, probably because they're aromatics.
Forgive me, Cortez. But that is an over simplification of something as resource and labor intensive as growing tobacco. And for something that has been declining nationally for over 14 years, what hope is there that profitability would ever return? Moreover, how long can farmers give tobacco a chance with already declining profitability? It is a bleak outlook.
...Let's see. According to teh article, they get $3000 an acre. That's liker crazy silly farming. Consider this... commodity farmers like me, in a bumper year might get $500 and acre. Last year was a bumper year for most of us. So... as a farmer, I am having a hard time with the empathy. Especially, since tobacco farmers have been getting more government subsidies, and they were under contract with the prices set at the beginning of the year. Every year was a sure thing for them. So, the contracts and the subsidies are removed and they have to take the same gamble that the rest of us do... I am not being a cold heartless ass, but the article just fails to sell the plight of these "poor farmers" to me, seeing how the rest of the farmers live.
This article in no way indicates that there will be a shortage of anything. Like I said, just going by this article.
This article in no way indicates that there will be a shortage of anything. Like I said, just going by this article.
I guess this is a footnote ... the codger blend Granger has always been labeled Kentucky Burley, and it is still being marketed. I assume that is the only leaf used, so they must continue to contract with tobacco farmers in Kentucky (since the old tobacco auctions are mostly gone).
Actually MSO, the article mentions that contracting has stopped. Of course, that depends on how much reliability you put into the details of the article. And, auctions for tobaccos have never completely stopped. They may not be the operated the same way that they used to be, but anyone has always been able to make large purchases of tobacco. If that's something that you wanted to do. I don't know all of the ins and outs of the tobacco market, but I find that the more I look into thing, the less I trust what I have been hearing.
Cosmic, all of my info is second hand, obviously, but auctions here in N.C. used to be huge, like a summer/fall festival with large warehouses in small cities throughout the state, and now, from observation, it seems all of these have been closed, taken over by flea markets, farmers markets, or just gone to seed. I wonder if Granger, whoever blends it these days, still is mostly or entirely Kentucky burley, or if they just shop by price where ever they can. You think it's likely this is all done at auction still? I'm not seeing much action at the warehouses, at least not the ones I see from the road.
Demand for tobacco is down. Going from 70% smoking rates to 20% in the US, and outside sources for tobacco production over seas. Add in vapes and RYO cutting into cigarette sales, and you can see why the crops and auction houses are dwindling. We used to be the cigarette producers of the world, and now even RJ Reynolds is producing in other countries for their global markets.
And, of courser, I am by no means an expert. I would much rather be taught than to relay the little I do know. But, I have heard that there are still auctions, and that anyone can still buy large volumes of tobaccos, for whatever reason. Even the article eluded to some of that. But yeh, it would be nice to hear from Greg Pease or someone on how things have changed in the last twenty or so years.
And, of courser, I am by no means an expert. I would much rather be taught than to relay the little I do know. But, I have heard that there are still auctions, and that anyone can still buy large volumes of tobaccos, for whatever reason. Even the article eluded to some of that. But yeh, it would be nice to hear from Greg Pease or someone on how things have changed in the last twenty or so years.
"Some agriculture watchers see hope for the future in hemp as U.S. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell has promised to introduce legislation legalizing it."
That is the comment that bothered me most. It doesn't seem five minutes ago that possession of the tiniest nub of weed would get you five years in the slammer. Oh how things have changed :crazy:
Regards,
Jay.
That is the comment that bothered me most. It doesn't seem five minutes ago that possession of the tiniest nub of weed would get you five years in the slammer. Oh how things have changed :crazy:
Regards,
Jay.
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