Tobacco Policy
and Economics

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The tobacco production industry has changed tremendously over the last several years, especially since the 2004 passage of the tobacco quota buyout. Since the buyout, a lot of the data and information about tobacco production that used to be routinely reported are no longer available. Ironically, at this time of unprecedented industry adjustment and change, less information than ever before is available to help understand where the industry stands, where it is heading, and how to ensure a successful future. The Agricultural Policy Analysis Center at the University of Tennessee is undertaking a major effort to survey burley tobacco producers in Tennessee, Virginia, and North Carolina to collect general information about burley production, to help identify how much is being grown and where, how production and production practices have changed, and what the future looks like for burley production. A random sample of 6,000 tobacco producers in the traditional burley counties of Tennessee, North Carolina, and Virginia has been selected to receive the survey questionnaire by mail. Surveys are expected to reach selected producers by mid-May, and respondents (whether they are still producing tobacco or not) are asked to return the postage paid completed surveys by May 31. All responses to the survey are completely anonymous and all survey data will be kept strictly confidential. Once the survey data are collected and analyzed, summary results of the research will be available on this website and publicly available through other publications and presentations.