By Rebecca Feldhaus
Murray, KY – Tobacco Farmers are evaluating their crops this time of year and burley producers look to take a harder hit than dark fire. U-K Ag Extension Agents say the dry curing season decreased the quality of burley tobacco, cutting average acreage production by close to 100 pounds. Calloway County tobacco and row crop farmer Jim Kelly says this year's extreme weather took its toll on his crops.
"The bacco looks good, selling pretty good, but it's not got the weight in it that we normally expect. Some of the guys are coming up short. Quality is down a little bit, pretty much due to the fact that it was so hot and so dry, pretty much all summer."
Officials say dark fire growers have a safer crop, because it's curing isn't affected as much by the environment. Some contractors have cut burley payments, due to low quality, by as much as half.