Liz Pike wrote:
> Can tobacco be a sustainable crop?? I'm scouting it this year for a friend
> who owns a crop service and I'm appalled at the practices used to raise this
> crop that many sustainable farmers would never use on their farms. Basic
> concepts such as mulching to protect from soil borne disease go undone,
> while spraying for pests that kill off beneficials is commonplace.
>
> Since the government has intervened (note: in a crop that's perfectly legal
> to grow), the amounts planted have been reduced in my area by 50%. This is
> a hardship for many of the farmers as it is their "big" money crop. I have
> had a few ask for advice on growing it sustainably, decreasing the cost of
> raising it.
>
I know that there is some tobacco grown using no tillage and a mulch cover in
NC. I don't know if these farmers are using additional sustainable practises
though. Contact Ron Morse for more information. 540-231-6724
-- Steve Groff"Enhancing the Environment" http://www.cedarmeadowfarm.com/ Cedar Meadow Farm 679 Hilldale Road Holtwood, PA 17532 USA
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