Tobacco Companies

Dear Editor, Recently, economist Bob Martin rejected the notion that scholars have an obligation to "inform the public" about "conflicts of interest" with respect to "a public issue. " He says issues should be decided by "objective evidence. " We differ in that he equates informing with either partisanship or advocacy; I do not. Also, he sees only one issue, while I see two. Before internal documents revealed that tobacco companies were lying to us, smokers and those considering smoking were sometimes confused because scientists were divided about smoking's health effects.

The century-old tradition of the auctioneer's chant fell by the wayside this year when burley tobacco auctions adopted a slice of high technology. After a trial run in the flue-cured tobacco markets of North Carolina this summer, handheld computers, sometimes called PDAs, nudged the auctioneers out of the way Monday at opening day sales in Danville. The change was immediately evident in the sounds - or lack of them - during the selling process. In quiet conversations throughout Farmer's Tobacco Warehouse, sellers could be heard saying, "It sure ain't like it use to be," referring to the lack of noise.

FRANKFORT - Rep. Lonnie Napier, R-Lancaster, announced that he is running for re-election to the state House of Representatives. A veteran lawmaker, Napier has served for 10 terms since being elected in 1984. "I consider it a distinct privilege to serve in the General Assembly and I am honored to represent the people of my district. I have worked hard to bring projects home and I will continue to do the same in the future," Napier said. Napier has gained statewide recognition for his work on behalf of Kentucky's farmers.

Most people today know that smoking is bad for their health and that it’s a hard habit to break. But do people think about the global effects of tobacco? Or how much money tobacco-related diseases cost us? Tuesday was World No Tobacco Day. On May 31 of each year, countries around the world work to educate on the dangers of smoking and encourage their citizens to quit smoking or to never start. This year the theme was the promotion of the World Health Organization’s (WHO) Framework Convention on Tobacco Control.

Dear Editor: Recently, Charles O. Kidd asserted in a letter on this page that the consumption of alcohol was more dangerous than smoking. He argued that laws banning smoking effectively denied his political rights, and suggested that there is no evidence that cigarettes are harmful. His letter even seemed to admonish those who seek to stop children and teens from smoking. Certainly, excessive drinking, especially before driving, is dangerous; that's why we have laws that address drunk driving.

Kurt Lear of Garrard County has grown 40 crops of tobacco during his 65 years. What happened this morning at Farmers Tobacco Warehouse No. 1 in Danville was going to help him decide if he was going to grow a 41st crop. "With the price support program gone next year and no more guaranteed prices, it's going to be hard to keep growing," said Lear. "I'll see how my crop goes and then make a decision. " Lear's 2,000 pounds were the first crop on the warehouse floor to be up for sale this morning as the 2004 tobacco market - perhaps the last one - kicked off at 9:36 a.m. The first two bales, made of bottom-of-the-stalk "trash," went to the pool at their $1.94 per pound support prices, while his other two bales, comprised of top-of-the-stalk "tips," went for $2.03 and $2.06 per pound.

A fixture on the Kentucky landscape for nearly a century, tobacco will soon begin to disappear from many of the state's fields, leaving an uncertain economic outlook for both farmers and the tobacco-dependent counties in which many live. "This is the biggest structural change of our lifetimes," University of Kentucky farm management specialist Steve Isaacs told a crowd of wary tobacco growers in Shelbyville last month. The change is the end of the federal program of tobacco quotas and price supports, which for 65 years limited the amount growers could sell but set a minimum price for their leaf.

LANCASTER - Julia Rowand appeared before the Garrard County Fiscal Court Monday pleading for money. "I've heard that the county is getting $18,500 in the tobacco money - and I'd like to ask that you donate $10,000 of it to the Herrington Lake Conservation League," she said in a polite manner. Judge-Executive E.J. Hasty said he was unsure what money Rowand was referring to. Magistrate Walter Hester asked the court if the tobacco money already was designated for Garrard County, but no one spoke up to clarify.

The Brousseaus, who own the businesses at Old Crow Inn on Stanford Road, were awarded a $49,988 forgivable loan to expand their agri-tourism ventures, the Governor's Office of Agricultural Policy announced Monday. The Brousseaus will use most of the money to expand their wine-making capacity, buying larger tanks and making room for those tanks in their building. Kentucky Agriculture Development Board awarded the Brousseaus the loan. The board, which is chaired by Gov. Ernie Fletcher, set aside $10 million to develop agri-tourism businesses and regional organizations.

The Lincoln County Cattlemen's Association has received funds from the Kentucky Agricultural Development Board using Phase I tobacco dollars to make available cost share opportunities for Lincoln County farmers. The funds are provided through the tobacco settlement agreement where the tobacco purchasing companies make payments to the state to use to help farmers be less dependent on tobacco income and to help them develop other farm enterprises to replace the lost tobacco income.