Characteristics of White County, Tennessee burley tobacco producers, their use of selected tobacco production practices and extension contacts

Author

Michael Edward Barry

Date of Award

5-1998

Degree Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Science

Major

Agriculture and Extension Education

Major Professor

Roy R. Lessly

Committee Members

Donald J. Fowlkes, John D. Todd

Abstract

The purpose of the study was to characterize White County, Tennessee hurley tobacco producers, their personal and farm operation characteristics, number and types of contacts producers had with the Agricultural Extension Service, and their use of selected tobacco production practices.

The population for the study included all White County, Tennessee hurley tobacco producers in 1997. The Nth number random sample technique was used to randomly select 85 hurley tobacco producers to be included in the sample.

The survey instrument used in the study was developed by the researcher with the assistance of Agricultural Extension Service specialists from The University of Tennessee, Knoxville. The instrument consisted of five main parts, including; (1) general information; (2) transplant production; (3) field practices; (4) information about the farmer; and (5) the number and types of contacts producers had with the Agricultural Extension Service.

Personal interviews were scheduled between White County Extension Agents and White County hurley tobacco producers in order to complete the 1997 White County, Tennessee Hurley Tobacco Survey. The interviews were completed in the Fall of 1997 and returned to the Agricultural and Extension Education Department at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville for analysis in Fall 1997.

Following the completion of survey interviews, the survey instruments were returned to the Agricultural and Extension Education Department at the University of Tennessee at Knoxville for analysis. Descriptive statistics were used to summarize the survey data. These include frequencies, means, medians, and modes. Because of the low number of tobacco producers surveyed, actual numbers and percentages were reported and no statistical tests were run to determine relationships between dependent and independent variables.

Major findings included the following:

1. Fifty-eight producers surveyed owned hurley tobacco quota pounds which averaged 9527 pounds per producer.

2. Fifty-four producers surveyed leased in hurley tobacco quota pounds which averaged 9419 pounds per producer.

3. Eighty-four producers grew an average of 5.4 acres of tobacco in 1997 and 45.2 percent of the producers grew 3.1 acres and more.

4. Seventy-one percent of the producers who produced tobacco transplants did so in conventional plant beds, and they accounted for 4 acres of plants per producer. Twenty-nine percent of the producers produced float system transplants, and they averaged 5.4 acres per producer.

5. A little more than eighty-five percent of the transplants purchased by White County tobacco producers were produced in float systems.

6. Twenty percent of the transplants purchased by White County tobacco producers were produced in another Tennessee County, compared to 57.1 percent that were produced in White County, and 22.9 percent produced in Kentucky.

7. Thirty-three percent of producers who took a soil sample did so every two years and less. The average soil sample frequency among all producers was 3.1 years.

8. Twenty-nine percent of White County producers topped their tobacco at the button to early flower stage. The average number of days between topping and cutting was 25 days among all producers.

9. The average age of White County, Tennessee hurley tobacco producers surveyed was 48.5 years.

10. Seventy-seven percent of the producers reported having a high school degree or above.

11. Thirty-eight percent of the producers were full-time farmers.

12. Forty-eight percent of the producers reported one or more visits to the Agricultural Extension Service office, with an average of 1.1 visits among all producers.

13. Fifty-three percent of White County tobacco producers reported one or more telephone calls to the Agricultural Extension Service office, with an average of 1.8 calls among all producers.

14. Forty-eight percent of the producers reported receiving one or more farm visits from the County Extension Agent, with an average of 2 visits received among all producers.

15. The average total Agricultural Extension Service contacts among all producers was 5.9 contacts during the previous 12 month period.

Recommended Citation

Barry, Michael Edward, "Characteristics of White County, Tennessee burley tobacco producers, their use of selected tobacco production practices and extension contacts. " Master's Thesis, University of Tennessee, 1998.
https://trace.tennessee.edu/utk_gradthes/6753