According to Bob Brannen, a legendary tobacco farmer in this area, this is the best tobacco crop that he has seen in his lifetime, and probably the most unexpected. Tobacco that was irrigated came on the market then, but the tobacco that wasn't irrigated came on really, really late. Brannen said some of the tobacco fields in the area are irrigated, but the vast majority aren't and are referred to as "dry" farmed. Brannen said the yield this year in the five county area he mentioned is very...

Farnam Wall Street Journal WASHINGTON""Voters in Oregon defeated a ballot measure to fund a children's health-care program by boosting tobacco taxes, the third time an industry campaign has helped defeat new taxes to fund such programs and perhaps a signal to lawmakers in Washington regarding a similar plan to raise the federal tobacco tax. Farnam Wall Street Journal WASHINGTON""Voters in Oregon defeated a ballot measure to fund a children's health-care program by boosting tobacco taxes,...

On Saturday the commission will host a forum to examine the question, "What's going to happen in 2010?" The organization hopes to attract farmers, business owners, residents and community leaders to evaluate current programs and brainstorm about additional measures that could help sustain farms. The 558 former tobacco farms enrolled in the first year of the program will have to survive solely on a new line of work, whether it be an alternative crop or agritourism venture. On Saturday the...

The farming sector is further disadvantaged by outdated farm equipment, the limited availability of important crop inputs such as fertilizer and herbicides, and generally poor agronomic practices. However, despite the availability of over 10 million hectares of land for agricultural use, Iran imports 30 to 50% of its annual food requirements. Iranian farmers are involved in the production of a wide array of crops including wheat, rice, barley, corn, pistachio nuts, almonds, hazelnuts, and...

Many businesses consider the tax confusing and unfair, with some warning it will cause them to lose business to out-of-state competitors or have to leave the state themselves. LANSING (AP) -- Michigan's fragile state budget agreement was reached in the middle of the night after months of sometimes painful give-and-take between lawmakers and Gov. Businesses would pay about three-fourths of the new tax, which would bring in about $725 million a year, raising concerns that it could discourage...

That s a familiar story in many mountain counties, where burley tobacco has shifted from automatic cash crop to a less certain prospect since the federal tobacco buyout went into effect in 2005. This year s severe drought affected some growers, but tobacco is a fairly drought-resistant crop that can thrive with rains from roving thunderstorms and benefits from a reduction in wet-weather molds and diseases. Fuel and fertilizer prices are at all-time highs, migrant labor is increasingly hard...