Tobacco

Editor's Note: This is the second installment in a five-day series examining how some area farmers are dealing with the loss of tobacco as a cash crop and the effect on the state's agriculture economy. WAYNESBURG - Last year was bittersweet for longtime farmer Larry McAninch. The Lincoln County farmer stopped raising a crop that he "grew up with, like most Kentucky farmers. " "The year 2005 was the first year I didn't raise a crop of burley tobacco since I was practically a youngster," said McAninch, 51, of Clear Fork Road, who's been a full-time farmer for 30 years.

LANCASTER - There were 217 tobacco sticks between Louis Denny and his dream. The 64-year-old came to the 25th annual Garrard County Tobacco Cutting Contest Tuesday aiming to prove he could still make it through a row. "I know I don't have no chance in the world (of winning)," Denny said as he sized up the pasture. "I'll just thank God if he'll let me finish the row. " Johnny King, his daughter Kimberly, and his son Michael Pruett hosted more than 100 people on their family farm for the event.

Tobacco the leading cause of death Dear Editor: Tobacco use is the current leading cause of preventable deaths in the United States. According to the Journal of the American Medical Association, alcohol is the third cause of preventable deaths in the nation. In the Jan. 19 issue, the journal states that tobacco causes 18.1 percent of American deaths, and alcohol causes 3.5 percent. Tobacco is also the leading cause of preventable death for Kentuckians. There is no way that alcohol use could be blamed for causing more deaths than tobacco.

Now that the 2003 tobacco market is closed, all marketing cards must be returned in order for the 2004 quotas to be calculated. Tobacco notices for 2004 will be mailed March 19, with leasing to begin April 5. There is a 5 percent basic quota increase for 2004 that will be reflected in the notice.

Rep. Don Pasley, D-Winchester, took a John Deere out to transplant tobacco. This was the tractor's 50th tobacco crop. The tractor was purchased by Pasley's father, the late Lindbergh Pasley, in 1955 for $2,850.

Gift subscription helps Radio Eye To the Sun: It is with the deepest gratitude that I write to thank you for your very generous contributions to Central Kentucky Radio Eye through the continuing gift subscription to The Winchester Sun this past year. For over 17 years, CKRE has been providing radio reading services to people who are blind, have limited vision, or are physically disabled, and your generous support enables CKRE to improve its current service and extend it to more listeners.

Samantha Anderson, a senior 4-H youth member, has been awarded the Kentucky Department of Agriculture Commissioner's Plaque for her supreme champion tobacco exhibits at the 2008 Kentucky State Fair. Samantha's display of hand-tied, flyings, lugs, leaf, and tips, plus champion green stick tobacco, and a green plant bucket tobacco earned her the honors. From left are Heather Cassill, Clark County 4-H Youth Development Extension Agent, Samantha Anderson and Richie Farmer, Kentucky Commissioner of Agriculture.

STANFORD - All city-owned buildings in Stanford are now tobacco free. Although Stanford Mayor Bill Miracle called it controversial at last month's City Council meeting, he said he is an advocate for no smoking. The rest of the council must be as well because the second reading of the ordinance prohibiting smoking and other uses of tobacco unanimously passed Thursday night. The ordinance states that all forms of tobacco are prohibited in any city-owned buildings. The maximum penalty for violating the ordinance is a $250 fine.

Benny Webb, top photo, guides a tractor and a tobacco setter down one of what will be a long row of burley in a field near Colby Road Tuesday morning. Manning the setter are, from left, Sammy Ferguson, Sammy Ferguson Jr., G.R. Hagen and Jackie Ferguson. Each row is approximately 2,100 feet long. Daniel Ferguson, bottom photo, pulls plants to prepare them for the setter. Webb is growing 88 acres of tobacco this season.