Surrency, GA |

With harvest season fast approaching, tobacco growers from across Georgia recently came together for the annual Georgia Tobacco Tour—a unique opportunity to see firsthand the latest seed varieties, disease management strategies, and large-scale production techniques. More than just a field day, the event also connected growers with key players from every corner of the industry.

“They’ve worked hard to put in variety plots or chemical plots,” says J. Michael Moore, Tobacco Extension Agronomist with the University of Georgia. “It’s nice for them—and the county agents who helped—to have time to spend with folks from a variety of tobacco purchasing companies, seed dealers, chemical dealers, and industry representatives.”

The tour comes at a crucial time for growers, many of whom are still recovering from last season’s devastating weather. A tropical system that struck during harvest left a lasting impact on the region’s crop.

“I guess it was August 5th last year when we had Debbie come through,” recalls Moore. “It reduced our tobacco yield by as much as 40 percent—not just in Georgia, but in South Carolina, North Carolina, and Virginia. Everyone agreed we lost about 40 percent as that storm moved through a very nontraditional area.”

Unfortunately, this year’s growing season hasn’t been without challenges either. Weeks of excessive rainfall have left fields saturated and crops struggling.

“Tobacco doesn’t like wet feet,” explains Moore. “It doesn’t tolerate excess moisture very well. In sandy areas, you hope it drains—but when it does, you lose nitrogen and potassium. That means reapplying fertilizer. And if it doesn’t drain, the roots suffocate due to lack of air. They don’t regrow rapidly. For all intents and purposes, we lost about 750 acres of tobacco in the Claxton, Candler County, Tattnall County, and Evans County area.”

Despite these setbacks, tobacco remains a vital part of the agricultural economy in this part of the state. And for many families, the crop is more than just a business—it’s a deeply rooted tradition.

“This area of the state is just primed for producing tobacco—specifically flue-cured tobacco,” says Moore. “We’re down to a very small number of growers in Georgia and Florida. These are growers who, in most cases, come from families that have been growing tobacco for generations. They know the culture, and they’re immersed in every part of the industry—including the agribusinesses that support it.”

By: Damon Jones