Relationships between selected personal and farm characteristics of Tennessee Burley Tobacco Producers, number and types of contacts producers had with extension, and their use of selected tobacco production practices in 1987

The purpose of this study was to characterize hurley tobacco producers, their personal characteristics, characteristics of their farm operation, number and types of contacts made with Extension, their use of selected hurley tobacco production practices, and to determine the interrelationships among the variables.

The population of this study included all hurley tobacco producers in Tennessee in 1987. The Nth number random sample technique was used to identify individuals included in the sample. The number of producers surveyed per county averaged about 25 and varied from 10 to 40 producers depending upon the total number of acres of tobacco grown in the county.

The survey instrument used in this study was an interview schedule developed by specialists from The University of Tennessee, Knoxville. The questionnaire consisted of five main parts which included: (1) General Information; (2) Plant Bed Practices; (3) Field Practices, (4) Information about the Farmer; and (5) Contacts with Extension.

Personal interviews were scheduled between the Extension agent and hurley tobacco producers in each participating county in order to complete the 1987 Tennessee Burley Tobacco Production Survey. The interviews were completed in the fall of 1987 and returned to the Agricultural Extension Education Section at the University of Tennessee for analysis by February 1988.

Descriptive statistics were used to summarize the survey data. These included frequencies, means, medians, and modes. The chi-square test was used to determine relationships between selected dependent and independent variables. The .05 probability level was used to make decisions regarding the significance of relationships between variables.

Major findings included the following:

1. Fifty-one percent of the tobacco producers surveyed farmed on a full-time basis.

2. The majority (73 percent) of the surveyed tobacco producers reported one or more contacts with Extension. Sixty-three percent of the producers received one or more farm visits from an Extension agent, and 48 percent reported five or more total Extension contacts during the past 12 months.

3. Of the 351 producers reporting that Black Shank was present on their farm, almost 85 percent used a Black Shank resistant tobacco variety, but less than 20 percent used four quarts of Ridomil fungicide.

4. Approximately 54 percent of producers waited until full bloom to top their tobacco, and 63 percent allowed less than 28 days between topping and cutting.

5. Full-time tobacco producers reported more of all types of Extension contacts than did part-time producers.

6. Tobacco producers who had more contacts with Extension were more likely to use Ridomil for Black Shank disease control compared to producers with fewer Extension contacts.

7. Tobacco producers who had more contacts with Extension were more likely to use Black Shank resistant tobacco varieties compared to producers with fewer or no Extension contacts.