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Tobacco Farmers Battling Weather, Labor Shortages
By
Laura Skillman
 PRINCETON,
Ky., (Oct. 11, 2006) – Kentucky’s tobacco producers are trying
to finish harvesting a tobacco crop that enjoyed good growing
conditions much of the year, but labor shortages and weather
delays are putting a damper on the process.
“With the ongoing debate over immigration reform and increased
competition for workers from other job markets, the pool of
migrant workers available to tobacco growers has shrunk
considerably,” said Bob Pearce, a tobacco specialist with the
University of Kentucky College of Agriculture. “Workers were
available in most areas but not in sufficient numbers to harvest
the tobacco crop in a timely manner.”
Tobacco growers across the state dealt with labor shortages,
perhaps more so in central Kentucky. In western Kentucky, labor
arrived a couple weeks later than usual, and sometimes there
were a few less workers than expected, said Andy Bailey, a UK
tobacco specialist based at UK’s research center in western
Kentucky.
Most farmers in western Kentucky use a federal guest worker
program called the H2A Program, which sets specific guidelines
farmers and the workers must follow. Because of increased border
scrutiny, the process took longer than usual and some workers
were turned back, Bailey said.
“I haven’t had anybody say they couldn’t get them (workers), but
they have come late,” he said. “The problem now is getting the
weather to cooperate.”
Weather has compounded the labor issues by limiting the number
of days available for harvest. With burley tobacco, long periods
of overcast days kept growers out of the fields. When they were
able to return to harvest, the tobacco was often wet and
brittle, resulting in high harvest losses, Pearce said. Rain on
cut tobacco will also result in more dirt and mud than usual on
the crop and will further reduce quality.
“The ideal time to harvest burley tobacco is about three and a
half to four weeks after topping,” he said. “During the 2006
growing season, it was not uncommon to see crops still standing
six to eight weeks after topping.”
A later harvest results in more suckering and potentially
reduced leaf quality.
In western Kentucky, farmers generally try to harvest their
burley tobacco first then move on to their dark tobacco crop.
“Dark tobacco requires extensive wilting in the field before it
can be put on a stick and housed,” he said. “We’ve had cloudy
days where it’s taken it much longer to wilt. A lot of guys have
had to cut it down in the afternoon and leave it overnight and
take the chance of it getting rained on. Under normal
conditions, we can cut some late morning and have it up by late
afternoon.”
Continued wet conditions and cool temperatures could make the
curing process also a trying time for producers. Tobacco that
does not cure properly can house burn or cure green, leaving the
leaf less than optimal for the manufacturers. Having proper air
flow and temperatures for burley and dark air-cured tobacco are
vital for good quality leaf. Temperatures are not as vital in
fire-cured dark tobacco.
Despite the labor and harvest challenges, this year’s crop
continues to have the potential to be a good yielding crop. To
get the most of out of their 2006 efforts, growers need to allow
the crop to cure completely then carefully separate the leaf
into grades according to the guidelines of the company they have
a contract with, Pearce said.
And as farmers look to 2007, they need to take a lesson from
this year’s labor shortage. For next season, growers should
consider the expected harvest crew size they will have and try
to space out transplanting in hopes that the crop can be
harvested closer to the ideal time, Pearce said. |
Contact: Bob Pearce, 859-257-5110
Andy Bailey, 270-365-7541, ext. 240 |
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of Agriculture, through its land-grant mission, reaches across
the commonwealth with teaching, research and extension
to enhance the lives of Kentuckians. |
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