Burley

Fifteen-year-old Makenzie Adams maneuvers a tractor down a row of burley, cultivating a crop of tobacco growing on Ecton Road. The 10-acre crop belongs to Shane Wiseman.

LEXINGTON - A mail referendum will be conducted Monday through Feb. 27 to determine whether marketing quotas on a poundage basis will continue for burley tobacco for the next three years, according to Jeffery S. Hall, state executive director of the Farm Service Agency in Kentucky. Ballots will be mailed to all eligible voters. Persons eligible to vote in the referendum are those producers who were engaged in the production of burley tobacco during the 2003 crop season. Persons who do not receive a ballot by mail and believe they are eligible to vote should contact their local FSA office not later than Feb. 27 to request a ballot.

Lexington - The Burley Co-op completed its annual director election process this week with a tabulation of casted ballots. Thomas Greathouse of Woodford County was elected by acclamation. David Chappell of Owen County, Paul Tucker of Harrison County and Troy Martin of Robertson County were elected by the tobacco farmers of each district for a three-year term. Thomas Greathouse will represent District 11, which includes Boyle, Jessamine, Mercer and Woodford counties. Greathouse is new to the board of directors.

LANCASTER - University of Kentucky's Garrard County extension office was host to several local farmers Tuesday night for a chili supper followed by a slide show. Dr. Gary Palmer with UK's College of Agriculture presented information on "Growing Burley Tobacco in a Post Buyout Environment. " Palmer, an associate professor of agronomy who specializes in burley tobacco, has been working with other associates to educate farmers on how best to farm in the recent aftershock of the tobacco quota buyout plan.

The Burley Tobacco Growers Cooperative Association has gotten an early start on tobacco sales this season, purchasing more than 1 million pounds of tobacco from members since October. The BTGCA decided to kick off the purchasing window in mid-October to provide members with an early market for their crop. "The Burley Cooperative is focused on helping our members through providing new opportunities," said Brian Furnish of the BTGCA. "Offering a competitive marketing outlet is just one of the many services we provide to our members.

LEXINGTON ? With harvest nearing completion, high humidity levels caused by an exceptionally moist year could cause curing problems for growers of burley and dark tobacco, said specialists with the University of Kentucky College of Agriculture. Much of the early-cured burley and dark air-cured crops are showing signs of houseburn or barn rot. Andy Bailey, UK dark tobacco extension specialist, estimated that as much as two-thirds of the dark air-cured tobacco crop has at least small traces of the rot, which also is called "sweat.

Workers hanging burley in a tobacco barn on Ecton Road used an assembly line to move sticks of burley from the wagon and up into the barn Wednesday morning. Moving the burley from the wagon were, from left, top photo, Wes Morton and Larry Dennis, while Leonard Joseph handed burley up to Dean Morton to hang in the top of the barn. The 32-acre crop of burley belongs to Dean Morton.

Frank Means, left, and Bill Boggs slowly work their way through the longs rows of burley growing on the Thompson Station Road, top photo. They were hoeing out the weeds growing in the nine-acre crop being raised by Joe Pasley. Left: After finishing several rows, Boggs used a file to restore the sharp edge on his hoe.

Aug. 24, 1984 The 1984 tax rate on real estate in Clark County will be 10.4 cents per $100 valuation, a slight decrease from last year's rate of 10.5 cents. The Clark County Fiscal Court voted Wednesday to accept the compensating rate of 10.4 cents. Gov. Martha Layne Collins dropped in on Winchester this morning to announce the awarding of a $229,400 Community Development Block Grant to Clark County. Winchester was the governor's first stop today, with several more scheduled in eastern and southeastern Kentucky.

The Burley Tobacco Growers Cooperative Association has announced the 2013 BTGCA Scholarship applications now are being accepted. The Burley Tobacco Growers Cooperative will award four $1,000 scholarships to students for the 2013-2014 school years.  The scholarship is awarded on the basis of the student's overall grade point average, writing ability and leadership potential. All applicants must have a minimum overall GPA of 2.5 from their current educational institution.  The association will show preference to those applicants who have a tobacco farming background.

Jan. 22, 1961 Walter G. Ecton was recently named vice president of the Kentucky Household Goods Carriers Association. John A. Tabor, chief NED Ser. warrant officers, recently retired from the United States Navy following 23 years’ service. During his early service years, he was stationed in China, Japan and New Caladonia. He is the son of Mrs. Zeola Tabor, South Maple Street. Burley tobacco growers today were told by one of their congressional spokesmen that they should have a 10 percent increase in acreage allotments for 1961.

LEXINGTON ? With harvest nearing completion, high humidity levels caused by an exceptionally moist year could cause curing problems for growers of burley and dark tobacco, said specialists with the University of Kentucky College of Agriculture. Much of the early-cured burley and dark air-cured crops are showing signs of houseburn or barn rot. Andy Bailey, UK dark tobacco extension specialist, estimated that as much as two-thirds of the dark air-cured tobacco crop has at least small traces of the rot, which also is called "sweat.

Aug. 24, 1984 The 1984 tax rate on real estate in Clark County will be 10.4 cents per $100 valuation, a slight decrease from last year's rate of 10.5 cents. The Clark County Fiscal Court voted Wednesday to accept the compensating rate of 10.4 cents. Gov. Martha Layne Collins dropped in on Winchester this morning to announce the awarding of a $229,400 Community Development Block Grant to Clark County. Winchester was the governor's first stop today, with several more scheduled in eastern and southeastern Kentucky.

It seems a lot of growers around the area have received letters from the tobacco companies showing that residues of MH are above the company's maximum level. This has created some concern among growers as to how to effectively control MH residues on this year's crop. In this column I am sharing some tips put together by Dr. Bob Pearce, UK tobacco specialist to reduce or control these residues. His tips are: â?¢ Use an appropriate amount of MH. The maximum amount of MH that can be applied to burley tobacco is three pounds active ingredient (a.i.

Fifteen-year-old Makenzie Adams maneuvers a tractor down a row of burley, cultivating a crop of tobacco growing on Ecton Road. The 10-acre crop belongs to Shane Wiseman.

LEXINGTON - The recent wet weather resulted in many cases of target spot on young burley tobacco plants in greenhouses across the state. With more wet conditions in the forecast, growers need to watch their seedlings closely for any sign of the disease in order to manage it if it does develop, said Kenny Seebold, plant pathologist in the University of Kentucky College of Agriculture. "In terms of severity and how widespread it is, this is the worst case of target spot I've seen since I came here in 2005," he said.

The Burley Tobacco Growers Cooperative Association has gotten an early start on tobacco sales this season, purchasing more than 1 million pounds of tobacco from members since October. The BTGCA decided to kick off the purchasing window in mid-October to provide members with an early market for their crop. "The Burley Cooperative is focused on helping our members through providing new opportunities," explained Brian Furnish of the BTGCA. "Offering a competitive marketing outlet is just one of the many services we provide to our members.

When it comes to diseases in burley tobacco, black shank ranks right up there at the top of the list. Losses to black shank are higher each year than all other past problems combined. During the 2008 season, statewide losses to black shank were high, but did not reach the levels of 2007. Part of the reason for that was the widespread use of resistant varieties across Kentucky. We've known for years that managing black shank involves several factors. Good sanitation and adequate land preparation are critical considerations, and crop rotation is a key factor.