Hoke Tobacco Farmers
Despite changes in federal sub
sidy laws and a doubling of the
cigarette tax, Hoke County tobacco
farmers will probably have a profit
able crop this year.
Tobacco markets are still open,
but most local famers are likely to
make at least one cent more per
pound than they did last year,
Hoke County Agent Willie Feather
stone Jr. said.
Profits would have been higher
this year, however, a new federal
subsidy law allows the deduction of
3 cents per pound at the market.
The law, which was passed this
year, shifts the burden of subsidiz
ing tobacco farmers from the
taxpayer to the grower.
Buyers have also been reluctant
to purchase higher grades of tobac
co used in cigarette production this
year, Featherstone said.
A recently passed federal tax
package which increased the levey
on cigarettes from 8 to 16 cents per
pack is causing buyers to hold back
purchases of the better leaf, he
said.
"They are going to wait and see if
the consumers are going to cut
back," Featherstone said.
If consumption does not drop off
for cigarettes, the buyers will come
back to the market and purchase
the better grade of tobacco, the
county agent said.
Many Hoke tobacco farmers may
have to sell the better leaf at a
reduced price in order to pay bills,
and will not be able to wait for the
market to pick back up. Feather
stone added.
Now that the tobacco crops are
harvested, farmers are being en
couraged to uproot the remaining
stalks and to replant fields with a
cover crop.
By reworking fields after the
tobacco is harvested, farmers will
prevent diseases and insects in
future crops and will improve next
year's yield.
This year most Hoke County
farmers have averaged about SI.70
per pound for tobacco, and after
QUESTIONABLE SEASON ? Although Hoke County Soybeans looked good earlier in the season, some farmers
are beginning to worry that the crop might not fill out. Soybean farmers also are faced with a low market price this
year.
Hoke ASCS News
1983 WHEAT PROGRAM
SIGNUP RESCHEDULED
Secretary of Agriculture John R.
Block recently announced that
because of legislation proposed by
Congress in the Omnibus Re
conciliation Act, he has resche
duled the signup period for the
1983 wheat program to begin Oct.
P 1 instead of Sept. 7. It will continue
through March 31.
Spring and winter wheat pro
ducers must comply with the
program provisions to be eligible
for the wheat reserve program,
loans, and purchases and payments
for the 1983 wheat crop.
The 1983 wheat loan rate will be
S3.65 per bushel. The target price
will be $4.30 per bushel.
P Instead of the 20 percent acreage
reduction program announced by
the USDA on July 14, the recon
ciliation legislation provides for a
combination 15 percent acreage
reduction and five percent paid
land diversion.
The land, diversion payment is
based on $2.70 per bushel times the
farm yield times the acres diverted.
Producers must limit the wheat
^ acreage planted for harvest to no
? more than 80 percent of the farm's
wheat base. They must also devote
to conservation uses and acreage
equal to both the acreage reduction
and land diversion requirements.
Block noted that any changes in
the program are contingent on
President Reagan signing the re
conciliation legislation.
Producers, at the time they sign
P up for the program, may request an
advance of 50 percent of the
diversion payment and of any
projected deficiency payment. The
projected deficiency payment rate
will be announced before signup
begins.
A producer accepting an advance
payment, but who later does not
comply with program provisions,
must refund the amount of the
^ advance payment with interest.
P Interest charged will be the rate in
effect for commodity loans on the
date of the advance payment, plus
five percentage points.
The Omnibus Reconciliation Act
requires the 1983 wheat acreage
base to remain the same as the base
established for the 1982 wheat
crop.
Land designated for conservation
^ use must have been devoted to row
^ crops or small grains in two of the
last three years. Land use for
conservation use acreage in 1982
will be regarded as having been
cropped in meeting this require
ment.
There are two exceptions.
The first is for a summer fallow
farm for which the cropping re
quirement is for only one of the
previous two years.
9 The other exception is for crop
land which met 1982 eligibility
requirements for conservation use
and was devoted to a permanent
conservation practice.
If the permanent conservation
practice is maintained, such
acreage will be eligible as con
servation use acreage through the
1985 crop year.
These conservation practices
may be eligible for cost-share
payment under the Agricultural
Conservation Program.
Neither cross compliance nor
offsetting compliance will apply to
the 1983 wheat program.
Block also said he will announce
the 1983 feed grains program in
Sept. with signup starting Oct. 1.
Signup for 1983 upland cotton and
rice programs will be announced
later.
The 1983 wheat and feed grains
crops will again be eligible for the
farmer-owned grain reserve pro
gram. However, new rotation pro
visions will be effective with grain
reserve agreements on the 1983
crop.
The rotation provisions will only
be available to replace, within 15
days, reserve grain that is going out
of condition.
The replacement grain may be:
(1) grain the producer has on hand.
(2) grain which is purchased by the
producer, or (3) grain which is from
the producer's new crop.
Deficiency payments or 1982
crop wheat will be made to eligible
producers as soon as practical after
Oct. 1.
Farm
Focus
b\ Richard Mellon
Kxlension Livestock Agent
Banks Wannamaker
Kxlension Field Crops Agent
Cotton growers in Hoke County
ponder each year over two decisions
they must make. One is deciding
whether to plant over if they don't
get an adequate stand. But the one
most are concerned with now is
when to defoliate.
That is when to chemically make
the plant shed its leaves so the bolls
will open up for picking.
All cotton farmers will tell you
that it just takes experience and
judgment, but there are some
pointers that will help.
For example, the timing of the
defoliant application is extremely
important. This depends upon the
weather, the condition of the crop,
and your objective for defoliating.
As a general rule-of-thumb, all
bolls that you expect to pick should
be fairly mature - about 35 days
old.
They should not dent when
squeezed between the thumb and
forefinger. When the bolls are cut
with a knife the fiber should string
out. The seed should have a buff or
brownish color and the seed cavity
completely filled.
These conditions do not occur
until 50 or 60 percent of the bolls
are open.
Weather has a big influence on
how your defoliant works. Ideal
conditions would be warm sunny
days with nighttime temperatures
above 65?F. and a relative
humidity below 65%. Plants under
drouth stress do not defoliate well.
Defoliation can also be complicated
by excessive nitrogen or too much
rainfall or irrigation.
There are some mistaken ideas
about what defoliation will do.
Defoliation will not enhance or
speed up maturity. Why not? The
materials necessary for the forma
tion and development of the seed
and fiber are produced in the
leaves. So when you strip the
leaves, this process stops.
If the leaves are removed too
early, the result is immature fiber
(low mike), immature seed (low oil,
protein content, and poor germina
tion), and less total yield.
Defolination, however, can result
in better grades in a number of
ways. It can reduce damage from
boll rot by exposing more area of
the plant to sunlight and air. And
this may speed up the boll opening
process. Defoliation can also
hasten the start of the picking
season.
Defoliants do not translocate
throughout the plant, so every leaf
must get a dose of chemical if it is
to drop. This means you've got to
get good penetration and coverage.
One final suggestion to reduce the
problems of regrowth, defolinate
only enough acreage at one time to
stay a few days ahead of harvesting
operations.
Look For Good Year
the subsidy deduction, they re
ceived about one cent more than
last year's average of $1 66 per
pound.
Depending on how the tobacco
operation is set up. raising the crop
could cost local farmers as much as
$1.50 per pound, Featherstone
said.
During 1981, tobacco planted on
the county's allotted 1,950 acres
brought in about S6.5 million here.
The total income for all agricul
tural products in Hoke County was
WAGON WHEEL RESTAURANT
THURSDAY h FRIDAY
SHRIMP BASKET
(about 20 shrimp)
with FF. Slaw & Hushpuppies
$3.99
Tafca Out Ordara Call ?76-67fc2
A.A. Meetings
Wed. 8 p.m.
Nursing Home
Dining Room
approximately $22.5 million in
1981, Featherstone said, adding
that the figure included S14 million
for all field crops.
The balance of county's farm
income comes from livestock, poul
try, fruits, nuts and forest pro
ducts.
Featherstone noted that he is
concerned about this year's soy
bean crop in the county.
"A lot of our soybeans are not
filling out," he said.
Adding to the local farmers' woes
is a nationwide bumper crop of
soybeans, which means a poor price
at the market.
About 29.000 acres are planted
in soybeans in Hoke County, and
last year's crop brought in about
S3.5 million.
Some county corn farmers, who
have livestock, will probably be
better off using this year's crop for
feed, Featherstone said.
However, it would not pay
farmers to buy feeder pigs or other
livestock now. he added.
The Johnson Company
INSURANCE
AUTO ? FIRE
fefer) HOMEOWNERS ? COMMERCIAL
f ( /<U?{ ? ?Jy*>nct/
110 E. Central Avenue Phone 875-3550
ASiflKlIN KKKK
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STORE HOURS: 9 a.m. til S:30 p.m. Mon.Sat.
Prices in this ad good thru Noon Sept. 21, 1982 or until
merchandise is sold out.
CHECK OUR LOW LOW EVERY DAY PRICES
WE RESERVE THE RIGHT TO LIMIT QUANTITIES
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