Georgia Farmers Planting More Tobacco
The University of Georgia
The University of Georgia's College of Agriculture and Environmental Sciences reports nearly 15,000 acres of tobacco was planted in 2013.
That's a high not seen in nearly five years.
Reliance on tobacco production in Georgia has grown since 2011, after Hurricane Irene did significant damage to North Carolina, the country's top tobacco producer.
That's the main reason why tobacco production is up in South Georgia.
“Those communities continue to depend on tobacco producers and tobacco continues to be a legal and lucrative commodity for those growers who have the equipment and the know-how to produce tobacco,” says UGA professor J. Michael Moore.
Georgia's soil also plays a factor for tobacco production.
An audio version of this story.
“It's very heavy, typically, has all the right things in it that cigarette-makers are looking for to use in the manufacturing of their cigarettes,” says Georgia Farm Bureau spokesman Don McGough.
Now that Georgia's tobacco production is on the rise, many of these farmers are looking for a longer-term commitment from large tobacco companies.
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