Tobacco

 
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Kentucky's Tobacco Industry

Kentucky ranks 1st in burley, fire-cured, and dark-cured tobacco production, and 2nd in total tobacco production in the nation. Tobacco is one of Kentucky's top 5 agriculture exports. In 2021 Kentucky burley tobacco production was estimated at 71.8 million pounds, yield was estimated at 2,050 pounds per acre, and harvested acreage was estimated at 35,000 acres. Production of Kentucky dark fire-cured tobacco is estimated at 29.1 million pounds, up 40% from the previous year. Dark air-cured tobacco production is estimated at 16.2 million pounds, up 21% from last year.

Source: National Agriculture Statistics Service and Economic Research Commission

 
 

Videos

What looks like an ordinary greenhouse is actually an around-the-clock Ebola vaccine factory. At a facility in Kentucky, plants are being injected with a protein in order to spur them into producing one of the three antibodies used in the experimental drug ZMapp.

Related Articles & Web Sites

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Tobacco Economics Update
Tobacco Economics Update

This tobacco update includes 2023 tobacco budgets for burley, dark air-cured, dark fire-cured, cigar wrapper tobaccos, a summary of USDA’s 2023 Prospective Plantings report, and an overview of recent prices and market factors. 

Kentucky Tobacco: A Tradition Continues, For Now
Kentucky Tobacco: A Tradition Continues, For Now

The days of tobacco being the king crop in Kentucky are in the rear-view mirror, but the once top crop still holds a place in Kentucky's diverse agricultural environment.

Tobacco continues to green up Kentucky economy
Tobacco continues to green up Kentucky economy

It used to be nearly impossible to drive through Kentucky in August and not see tobacco growing in a field. In the summer of 1998, the leaf crop accounted for 25 percent of the state's farm cash receipts and was grown by 46,000 farmers statewide.

For Frank Penn, Horses and Tobacco have made a Great Combination on the Farm
For Frank Penn, Horses and Tobacco have made a Great Combination on the Farm

In the world of Kentucky agriculture, it doesn’t get much more traditional than tobacco and horses. The state leads the nation in burley and dark tobacco production while the equine industry ranks number one in horse sales.

Kentucky Tobacco Still No.1 for Some Farm Families
Kentucky Tobacco Still No.1 for Some Farm Families

There is no doubt Kentucky agriculture has a long history in producing the best tobacco in the world and growers have done so for generations.

How to Grow an Ebola Vaccine with a Tobacco Plant

PBS News Hour: What looks like an ordinary greenhouse is actually an around-the-clock Ebola vaccine factory.

Tapping Into Tobacco’s Medicinal Potential
Tapping Into Tobacco’s Medicinal Potential

Kentucky’s tobacco industry is on the brink of a revolution. Recent studies indicate that tobacco can be used for HIV prevention and Ebola treatment.