Organic Tobacco for pipes. Does it exist? If not, would anyone want it? I’m thinking aromatics might not be an option due to the flavorings, but all of the pure styles could come in organic. I was watching How it’s Made on tobacco and I was surprised at how much fungicide and insecticide is used. I know they make organic cigarettes. I’d like to try some organic pipe tobacco or cigars. Any suggestions aside from growing my own?
If you ever want a scary rabbit hole, check out the source of raw phosphate they spread on the fields of Virginia tobacco - much has been found to be slightly radioactive and those little morsels are pernicious.
I know a bit more about cigar (black) tobacco growing methods than cigarette/pipe tobacco. Cigar tobacco, at least in the DR and Cuba, essentially could qualify as "organic" tobacco, primarily fertilized with decomposed animal manure, and de-pested by handpicking. The last thing a producer wants is some persistent chemical altering the flavor of their premium leaf. I do know they chembomb the hell out of Virginia leaf, and burley to a slightly lesser extent. I shudder to think what goes on in Africa or India, which don't have squat for environmental regulation.
Same goes for wine - organic wine is a bit of a hustle and excuse to charge more as most large, established growers cannot risk ending up with inferior product due to the products they use during the season. Unfortunately, a lot of the popular pesticides, herbicides, and fertilizers do not attenuate readily, but live on in the plant matrix.
As mentioned above, the USDA has claimed dominion over the word "organic" and made it a high-priced brand. Unless you're doing very little business, you have to pay dearly and deal with a boatload of hypocritical red tape to obtain the right to use that word. This is why so many farmers' markets have side-stepped the powers that be by inventing their own terms, such as "eco-ganic," "certified naturally grown," and the like. Farmers are one short conversation or pamphlet away from winning over customers who want chemical-free produce, but don't know how corrupt the "organic" movement has become.
www.leafonly.com
