Extension
It Starts With Us
Author: Christopher Schalk
Major Program: Tobacco
The problemThe Mammoth Cave Area has historically been at the top in tobacco production in KY. Tobacco growers are annually required to complete a Tobacco GAP (Good Agriculture Practices) training. County Agriculture Extension Agents are charged with providing opportunities for growers to receive this training.The educational program responseAgents from Allen, Barren, Hart, Metcalfe and Monroe Counties (West 8) cooperated to host a regional Tobacco GAP Training. The reg
Author: Gary Bell
Major Program: Tobacco
The Mammoth Cave Area has historically been at the top in tobacco production in KY. Agents from Allen, Barren, Hart, Metcalfe and Monroe Counties cooperated to host a regional Tobacco GAP Training. Tobacco GAP trainings are mandatory yearly trainings required by the major tobacco purchasing companies. Extension is charged with hosting and facilitating these very important trainings. Growers who do not receive the annual training run the risk of not being able to market th
Author: Adam Huber
Major Program: Tobacco
The Mammoth Cave Area has historically been at the top in tobacco production in KY. Agents from Allen, Barren, Hart, Metcalfe and Monroe Counties cooperated to host a regional Tobacco GAP Training. Tobacco GAP trainings are mandatory yearly trainings required by the major tobacco purchasing companies. Extension is charged with hosting and facilitating these very important trainings. Growers who do not receive the annual training run the risk of not being able to market th
Author: Traci Johnson
Major Program: Tobacco
Tobacco is an important source of farm income in Todd County. Todd County ranks 4th in Kentucky for value of tobacco production at $13.3 million, according to the 2022 Census of Agriculture. Challenges facing tobacco farmers include contract cuts, increased disease pressure during wet summers, and controlling insect pests.A Dark Tobacco Production Meeting was held in January 2024 to offer farmers information that would help them overcome these challenges and remain profitable. The pr
Author: Tad Campbell
Major Program: Tobacco
According to the 2022 Agriculture Bulletin, Mason County ranks 15 in the state for tobacco production. With the continued interest in tobacco production the county hosted a regional Tobacco GAP training required for producers by most production contracts. The Mason County Extension Service partnered with the University of Kentucky Tobacco Specialist and GAP Connections representative to hold a producer training in February. Over 35 producers from across the state attend
Author: Kevin Lyons
Major Program: Tobacco
The Mammoth Cave Area has historically been at the top in tobacco production in KY. County Ag Agents from Allen, Barren, Hart, Metcalfe, and Monroe Counties cooperated to host a regional Tobacco GAP Training. Tobacco GAP trainings are mandatory annual trainings required by the major tobacco purchasing companies. Extension is charged with hosting and facilitating these very important trainings. The regional training is a partnership between UK Extension, UT Extension, GAP Connections,
Author: Ricky Arnett
Major Program: Tobacco
Even with the changes that much of the tobacco industry has seen across the state of Kentucky since the tobacco buyout in 2001, and the weather conditions tobacco farmers has faced over the last three to five years, tobacco remains a strong and vital component of Green County. According to the Kentucky Agriculture statistics, this $10 million annual crop makes up over 33 % of Green County’s Agriculture economy. A strong joint effort has been implemented by Green, Adair, and Taylor counties
Author: Robert Pearce
Major Program: Tobacco
US Tobacco GAP (Good Agricultural Practices) is an industry led program designed to insure that tobacco growers in the United States are well informed and follow the best practices for the production of all types of tobacco. Kentucky is the second leading producer of tobacco behind North Carolina, but has the most tobacco growers of any state due to the relatively smaller farm size. Tobacco growers are required to attend an annual training session conducted by Cooperative Extension Specialists.
Author: Shane Bogle
Major Program: Tobacco
Diversification of agriculture enterprises has been a hot topic in Kentucky for many years. Many areas with historic concentrations of burley and air cured tobacco production have reduced acreage in exchange for endeavors from vegetable production to beef cows. The dark fired tobacco belt of western KY, including Caldwell County, is one area that has maintained a sizeable attachment to the production of this specialized crop. For producers, disease pressure, increased regulatio
Author: William Bailey
Major Program: Tobacco
The problemAll tobacco growers are required to attend tobacco GAP (Good Agricultural Practices) training annually in order to be able to market their tobacco crop. Some tobacco growers may be unable to attend live in-person GAP trainings that are offered at several locations throughout Kentucky and Tennessee each year.The educational program responseAn online training program was developed through the efforts of GAP Connections (administrators of U.S. Tobacco GAP training program) and toba
Author: William Bailey
Major Program: Tobacco
The problemTobacco growers in Cheatham Co., TN are highly skilled in growing cigar wrapper types of dark fire-cured tobacco. However, many of these growers are small growers and often isolated from some of our larger tobacco educational events held in cities like Clarksville TN and Springfield TN. Mr. Ronnie Barron, former agricultural agent in Cheatham Co., recognized this problem where Cheatham Co. growers may not be getting to as many educations events as growers in Robertson and
Author: Carol Hinton
Major Program: Tobacco
The problemTobacco production expenses have become increasing impossible to cover with the yield and prices that the farmers are receiving. The educational program responseProducers attend a required tobacco GAP meeting. Producers from 6 counties and 2 states attend the session in Breckinridge County. Our county still raises several acres of tobacco and they are always looking for ways to save money or improve their production. The participants/target audienceFarmers requ
