Baling Georgia Tobacco

Tobacco mechanization has made great strides since the days of Jamestown. Tobacco mechanization has gone from 45 man-minutes per pound to approximately 1 man-minute per pound in 1998 (Figure 1)(Boyette, 1998). This mechanization has gone from hand harvesting to total mechanical harvesting, producing transplants bare root to greenhouse float, and control of pests by hand removal (weeds, insects and suckers) to chemical control (spray application).

The baling of tobacco was first introduced in 1967 at two tobacco warehouses one in Georgia and the other in North Carolina. This experiment was not accepted as an alternative to sheeting tobacco. In 1997, an experimental program was implemented in the flue-cured producing areas using 13 leased machines. Over 7,200 bales were presented for sale in 1997. Georgia baled 532 bales and presented them on the market floor. Approximately 70 bales did not meet the buyer’s specifications.

The success of the experimental baling program in 1997 lead the way for baling of cured tobacco for farmers on the farm and at the tobacco warehouse. Georgia had approximately twelve baling machines operating in the 1998 season. In order to market the bales a metal tag was attached. This tag identified the grower and location of baling (farm or warehouse). Appendix I. is the proposed list of requirements for presenting bales on the auction for 1999 season. Only minor changes have been made in the recommendations since that 1998. Georgia growers requested 15,380 tags (Table 2.) for the 1998 season. There were 7,375 bales sold (Table 3.) at the auction in Georgia in 1998.

Baling appears to be here to stay and more balers are being purchased at the time of this writing in anticipation of baling in 1999. A number of versions of the tobacco baler are being constructed by professionals as well as growers. Growers may be more interested in a starter baler until they are able to make the necessary adjustments in their operation to accommodate and incorporate baling into their cured leaf handling operation. Based on the record so far, it appears that good quality tobacco placed in a solid bale at 16 percent moisture or less, without swelled stems and foreign materials, should be expected to sell well in the future and can be expected to reduce the costs of handling and transportation.

References

IN BALES DURING THE 1999 MARKETING SEASON

After the fourth year of experimenting with an alternative package for marketing and transporting flue-cured tobacco the 39 Member AMS Flue-Cured Tobacco Advisory Committee has voted to recommend to the Secretary of Agriculture that the guidelines listed below be followed by producers electing to market flue-cured tobacco in bales during the 1999 season. These guidelines have not been approved at the time of writing of this publication, but are very similar to those followed in 1998 and are expected to be approved with minor alterations. Final guidelines will be available from County Extension Agents and Warehousemen prior to the 1999 baling season. Additionally the 39 Member Committee has recommended that the official grading rules allow bales as an approved packaging option for marketing flue-cured tobacco rather than as an experimental package as it has been considered previously.

They guidelines are:

-- the physical dimensions of the bales should be 42" wide by 42" tall by 40" long. (The length dimension is in direction of compression)

-- the target weight of the bale is 750 pounds with a weight tolerance of +/- 100 pounds. Bales over 850 lbs should be ineligible for price support and light bales should be discouraged. During the 1998 baling research, bales near or above the 850 lb tolerance showed damages to leaf quality from compression. The heavy, overly, compressed bales cause problems in separating leaves of tobacco at the processing plant. Also, light alters cause stakes to shift which creates hauling problems and occasionally light bales completely collapsed. Specific lots of tobacco that are smaller than the recommended bale weight should be considered for packaging in sheets.

-- bale density should continue to be approximately 18 lbs/cu. ft.. Balers should be capable of delivering the compressions necessary to produce recommended density. Balers must not expose tobacco to hydraulic fluid or other contaminants. Balers should comply with all safety regulations unique to the structure and to the operation of the baler.

-- bale moisture should continue to be less than 18 percent but sufficient to prevent the tobacco from being shattered during handling.

-- bale temperature should be not more than 105 degrees Fahrenheit.

-- bale wire should be round or oval, 12 to 13.5 gauge, uncoated and may range from 144 to 150 inches long depending on the baler used, be pre-knotted, be equally spaced, run horizontally around each bale and be capable of maintaining bale integrity through all tasks from baling to processing, including inspecting, loading, unloading, transporting, and storage. No wire extenders should be used. A minimum of four strands of wire around the bale should be required.

-- Slip sheets should be white on both sides, 250 pounds test strength, have two side flaps and have a water resistant coating on the bottom. Any slipsheets in inventory from 1998 not complying with the above may be used if used within 6 weeks of opening sales.

-- Most buyers in the industry express that tags are key and essential to bale integrity. The Committee could not reach agreement on tags at its meeting and the tag issue has been referred to committee.

STORING TOBACCO TO MAINTAIN QUALITY

J. Michael Moore and David Jones

Good management is required on the part of growers to maintain the quality and value of tobacco which is stored from one season to another. In general, tobacco should be stored in a clean, dry, insect free facility, such as a packhouse or bulk curing barn. The costs of production, harvesting, and curing of carryover tobacco have already been invested and the carryover tobacco is additional profit for the producer if quality is maintained by proper storage. Care should be taken to insure that the tobacco is sufficiently dry when placed in storage. Storage facilities should be maintained insect free and the tobacco should be checked periodically to insure proper storage and the absence of insect or moisture damage. If damaged tobacco is located, steps should be taken to minimize the amount of tobacco damaged.

STORAGE

If space is available tobacco may be left in the curing racks or boxes for storage. Following the curing process the curing barn is probably the most sanitary facility on the farm having eliminated the threat of insects existing in the barn. However, once the barn is opened and tobacco moved in or out new insect contamination may occur. The same may happen over time with the natural movement of insects. Tobacco stored in sheets should be dry throughout the sheet when placed in storage.

Care should be taken to provide good ventilation under and around the tobacco. Stack sheets on wooden pallets or rails, especially if the storage area floor is concrete or near ground level. A vapor barrier of polyethylene or roofing paper placed on the floor will reduce the infiltration of moisture. Leave space to move around the stacks when making periodic checks every 2-4 weeks. If bulk curing barns are used the fans may be run occasionally to insure the tobacco remains dry.

Tobacco may be redried at temperatures not to exceed 100^o F to avoid color changes and reductions in quality. Heat treatment of loosely packed DRY tobacco at 140^o F for one hour may be used to reduce the number of insects initially. No residual effect of this treatment should be expected. Tobacco may be reinfested by insects at a later date and may require re-treatment.

Tobacco moths and the cigarette beetle, commonly attack tobacco stored on the farm. Of these the tobacco moth is most serious. The larvae, which cause all of the damage, are pinkish to yellow to off-white caterpillars about 1/2 inch long. They burrow into and form ragged holes in the cured leaves. Entire leaves may be consumed except for the midrib and large veins. The larvae also deposit webbing and fecal pellets on the infested tobacco. The adult tobacco moth is a small gray moth about 3/8 inch long with a 5/8 inch wingspread.

Cigarette beetle adults are light to dark-brown, hump-backed insects about 1/8 inch long. Adults leave tiny holes as they emerge from pupae cases within the tobacco. The hairy C-shaped larvae, which cause most of the damage, are whitish with a brown head and are about 1/5 inch long. They leave behind powdery waste which can give tobacco an unpleasant flavor.

CONTROL OF INSECTS IN STORED TOBACCO

Control of established infestations is difficult, so prevention is very important. The most important step in prevention is sanitation. Before tobacco is placed in storage, a clean storage area should be prepared. Clean out and burn all tobacco and debris from the storage area. Plant trash in the storage area might harbor insects which can move to the tobacco.

Tobacco Moths: The tobacco and the storage area should also be treated with Bacillus thuringiensis to help prevent tobacco moth infestation. Apply a fine spray to loose tobacco AS IT IS BEING SHEETED. It is very hard to repack sheets and get the good coverage required. One suggestion might be apply B.t. as a fine mist as the tobacco is sent through a conditioning cylinder (a tumbler). Rates for treatment with B.t. are as follows:

Tobacco: Dipel 2X - 2.5 tsp per qt water/100 lbs of tobacco

Storage area only: Dipel 2X - 6 tsp per 2.5 gal water, use 0.5 gal/1000 sq ft surface.

Stored tobacco should be checked every two to four weeks during the fall and winter for signs of insects and new damage. If tobacco moths are found, tobacco should be treated with B.t. as described above. Treating the outside of piles and/or the sheets will probably not control an established infestation. Piles must be taken apart and the tobacco treated as loose leaves before resheeting. Sheets may also be treated.

Cigarette Beetles: Malathion is labeled for treatment of storage facilities as a residual spray for the control of cigarette beetles. There are no labeled cigarette beetle preventive insecticides for direct application to tobacco. Treat the storage area only as follows:

Storage area only: Malathion 5 lb/gal EC - 1 pt per 2.5 gallons of water

Clean the area thoroughly; spray walls, floors, and ceilings to the point of run-off, preferably at least two weeks before storing tobacco.

If cigarette beetles are found in stored tobacco, tobacco may be fumigated. A number of materials (methyl bromide, aluminum phosphide [Phostoxin], and magnesium phosphide) are labeled and may be used for this purpose. Of these materials, Phostoxin is probably the preferred product for this use because of its pelleted or tablet formulation.

ALL FUMIGANTS ARE VERY HAZARDOUS AND MUST BE HANDLED CAREFULLY

Current regulations make it very difficult for farmers to legally carry out fumigation on their own. Therefore, fumigation should probably be done by a professional.

Remember that fumigation controls only insects which are present; it is not a preventive treatment. Most fumigants can cause damage to metals, especially copper wiring in motors, when in contact at high concentrations. DO NOT treat stored tobacco with pesticides not specifically labeled for this purpose. Always READ and FOLLOW label instructions.