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On Friday, February 9, 2001, at Stabilization’s monthly meeting, the Stabilization Board of Directors voted to cancel their request of USDA that all tobacco produced in 2001 be certified as cured in a tobacco curing barn equipped with a heat exchanger.

Because of unavoidable delays created by the change in USDA administration and because of other unforeseen delays in the approval process for the original July 1, 2001 certification request, the Stabilization Board of Directors now believes that it will not be possible to have the necessary number of barns retrofitted to cure the 2001 crop of flue-cured tobacco.

Recognizing the extreme importance of retrofitting all curing barns as quickly as possible, Stabilization’s Board of Directors voted to submit a new request to USDA for a barn certification requirement that would become effective July 1, 2002.  This request will also ask that any tobacco produced in 2001 or previous years and marketed as carryover tobacco in 2002, be certified as cured using a heat exchanger.  Furthermore, if any tobacco is not certified as cured in barns equipped with heat exchangers for 2002 marketing season, the request will ask that such tobacco be eligible for price support at only one half the normal price support rate.

Stabilization’s Board has discussed the dilemma created by delaying the proposed certification date to July 1, 2002, with all contributors to the barn reimbursement fund.  Contributors to the fund have assured Stabilization that they will continue to support the fund until either the fund is depleted or June 30, 2001, whichever comes first.  Stabilization urges all tobacco farmers who have not retrofitted their curing barns to do so as quickly as possible in order to take advantage of the reimbursement program before the fund is depleted or the fund expires on June 30, 2001.  Barns retrofitted after June 30, 2001 will not be eligible for reimbursement under the current program.

For Additional Information call 919-821-4560.