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Burley Tobacco Farmers See Best Paydays in Years

Burley tobacco farmers in Kentucky and Tennessee are seeing their best paydays since plunging into the free market. Tight leaf supplies and a quality crop that bounced back after this summer’s drought are bringing burley growers nearly $2 per pound. University of Kentucky agricultural economist Will Snell says those prices almost match what farmers saw in 2004, which was the last year they sold tobacco under federal production and price controls. The higher prices come after several years of sluggish prices, higher production costs and uncertain demand.

Whitney grew up listening to Car Talk to and from her family’s beach vacation each year, but it wasn’t until a friend introduced her to This American Life that radio really grabbed her attention. She is a recent graduate from Union University in Jackson, Tenn., where she studied journalism. When she’s not at WKMS, you can find her working on her backyard compost pile and garden, getting lost on her bicycle or crocheting one massive blanket.
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