Georgia Tobacco Hotline
March 9, 1998
1-800-659-7288
Welcome to the Georgia Tobacco Hotline
Topics for this week include:
South Georgia Weather
Transplant Conditions
Cautions on Soil Pesticide Applications this Spring
Formation of the Tobacco Growers Association of Georgia
Formation of the National Tobacco Growers Association
Tobacco Growers Meet with Health Groups
Baling Recommendations Go Forward to Secretary of
Agriculture
South Georgia Weather
Soil conditions continue to be wet with the latest system on March 7-8 dumping an additional 4.5-7 inches of rain on south Georgia's already wet fields. Many counties closed their schools on Monday to assess problems with flooding and washed-out roads. Some soil fumigation took place last week as growers were beginning to get into the fields and begin soil preparation.
Transplant Growth
Transplant growth continues to be behind that normally expected for this time of year. Plant supplies appear to be adequate although plant size varies from just emerged to approaching transplant size. Clipping has started in both the greenhouses and the field beds. Evening temperatures this week are predicted to drop into the 20s and 30s.
Cautions on Soil Pesticide Applications this Spring
Repeated rains have delayed normal soil preparation this spring. The normal window for transplanting tobacco has already opened. Growers will feel the pressure of needing to have their fields ready to plant as soon as the current weather conditions pass. Growers have discussed omitting moldboard plows and using only chisel plows and bedders to prepare the soil for transplanting. Growers should not allow "haste to get into the fields" to create problems for their crops later in the season. Wet soils should be allowed to dry appropriately before heavy tractors and equipment that may cause compaction are moved through the fields. Compaction created now may result in limited root systems later in the season and crops that suffer for needed moisture.
Additionally, it is important that soil applied pesticides be applied to soils that are dried appropriately for thorough incorporation of these chemicals for maximum efficacy. Chemicals sprayed onto wet soils cannot be mixed correctly and will not give the best weed, disease, nematode or insect control.
Fumigant materials also require soils that have dried and are workable in order to allow the maximum effect from the volatization of the chemical through the soil. Growers should think twice before taking hasty steps now that will cost them yields and quality later.
Tobacco Growers Association of Georgia Formed
Interested Georgia tobacco growers met in Douglas on January 28, 1998, to discuss and to form the Tobacco Growers Association of Georgia. Goals of the new organization include (1) uniting all Georgia tobacco growers and organizations to ensure that the grower's position is represented in any possible legislation resulting in a national tobacco settlement and buy-out; and (2) to represent the views of growers on future issues that may affect growers of the state. Twelve people were elected by those attending to serve on a Board of Directors. Lamar Deloach of Metter was elected as chairman of the association.
This group will be conducting area membership meetings across the Georgia tobacco production area beginning Monday, March 9, through Monday, March 16. All meetings are at 7 p.m. Dates and places are as follows:
- Monday, March 9 - Vidalia - Captains Corner Restaurant
- Monday, March 9 - Blackshear - County Extension Office
- Tuesday, March 10 - Metter - Western Steer Restaurant on I-16
- Thursday, March 12 - Moultrie - Colquitt County Ag Complex
- Thursday, March 12 - Douglas - Holiday Inn
- Monday, March 16 - Nashville - Berrien County Ag Center
National Tobacco Growers Association Formed
On March 5, growers from the five flue-cured tobacco-producing states met in Raleigh, NC, and formed the National Tobacco Growers Association. Although the organization is new, they hope to represent all tobacco growers.
Tobacco Growers Meet with Health Groups
Burley and Flue-Cured growers met with representatives of the health community last week in Lexington, KY, to discuss areas of common interest regarding the National Tobacco Settlement and the Buyout. The public health community would like to maintain a tobacco program that limits the production of tobacco. Tobacco growers, of course, would like to ensure the future prosperity and stability of the American tobacco farmer, the tobacco family, and tobacco farming communities.
Baling Recommendations Sent to Secretary Glickman
Members of the 39-man Flue Cured Marketing Committee last week forwarded recommendations for approval to Secretary of Agriculture Dan Glickman, which would allow unlimited marketing of bales in addition to sheets by flue-cured growers during the 1998 marketing season. Size and weight specifications for the bales are similar to those used during the 1997 Regional Baling Project. Bales would have to be properly tagged to identify the unique bale number; the grower's social security number in the bar code form; grower's name, address and telephone number; with space left on the tag for recording the warehouse coupon I.D. number. North Carolina State University will process and fill all orders for tags requested by growers.
Thank you for calling the Georgia Tobacco Hotline, presented by the University of Georgia Extension Tobacco Team and brought to you by the makers of Orthene 75S.