Quarles new president of International Tobacco Growers Association

Special to KAN

Roger Quarles, Burley Tobacco Growers Cooperative Association President, is the new President for the International Tobacco Growers Association (ITGA). Quarles was elected ITGA President during its 23rd Annual General Meeting, held in October 2008 in Iguazú, Argentina.
 

"I am deeply honored to be selected by my fellow growers throughout the world to be their President of ITGA," said Quarles of his new position.
 

The ITGA is a non-profit organization founded in 1984 with the objective of presenting the cause of millions of tobacco farmers to the world. It is run by a Board of Directors, comprised of a President, Vice-President and a Chief Executive who, together, strive to provide a strong collective voice on an international and national scale in order to ensure the long-term security of tobacco markets.

"As President, I expect to continue their defined initiatives such as eliminating child labor, identifying alternative crops for diversification ,and especially monitoring the implementation of the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control," said Quarles. "These are issues that affect opportunities of all growers worldwide."
 

Tobacco growers all over the world share similar problems, threats and challenges, regardless of the size of their production. It is for this reason that the ITGA defends that every tobacco farmer, regardless of the size of the land he cultivates and the volume of tobacco he produces, has the right to be represented internationally, as to ensure that the intricacies of and challenges to his activity are justly considered by international decision-makers.

"ITGA has 22 member countries, and we believe we represent 85 percent of global tobacco production," said Quarles. "The Burley Co-op shares the USA membership with the Tennessee Co-op and as well as the Flue Cured Co-op."