Logan tops in dark air-cured tobacco production; Christian County was leading dark fire-cured producer

National Agricultural Statistics Service

LOUISVILLE (April 30, 2018) — The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) released the county estimates for tobacco April 26, from the 2017 production year. Combined tobacco production in Kentucky totaled $296,272,000 in cash receipts in 2016.

“Weather conditions favored yields in 2017, following the 2015 and 2016 crop years in which producers fought weather and disease,” said David Knopf, director of the NASS Eastern Mountain Regional Office in Kentucky. “The combined increase in acreage and yield compared to 2016 produced a crop totaling just over 183 million pounds. Fire-cured yields tended to be better than burley and air-cured yields, compared with historical averages.”

Breckinridge County is the leading burley tobacco producing county in Kentucky for 2017, with production totaling 5,120,000 pounds, harvested from 2,450 acres. The top five counties, include:

Breckinridge County – 5,120,000 pounds

Green County – 4,810,000 pounds

Shelby County – 4,160,000 pounds

Harrison County – 4,130,000 pounds

Christian County – 3,920,000 pounds

Total production for the state was 129,150,000 pounds from 63,000 acres.

Mercer County outyielded Woodford County to take the top spot in 2017, producing 2,555 pounds per acre. Statewide the average yield increased from 1,750 pounds per acre in 2016 to 2,050 pounds per acre for 2017. The top five counties for yield include:

Mercer County – 2,555 pounds per acre
Woodford County – 2,550 pounds per acre
Owen County – 2,510 pounds per acre
Harrison County – 2,460 pounds per acre
Fayette County – 2,455 pounds per acre

Logan County is the leading dark air-cured tobacco producing county in Kentucky for 2017, with production totaling 3,750,000 pounds, harvested from 1,450 acres. The top five counties include:

Logan County – 3,750,000 pounds
Daviess County – 1,750,000 pounds
Christian County – 1,400,000 pounds
McLean County – 970,000 pounds
Simpson County – 820,000 pounds

Total production for Kentucky was 16,200,000 pounds from 6,000 acres.

Webster County had the highest dark air-cured tobacco yield at 2,895 pounds per acre. The top five counties for yield include:

Webster County – 2,895 pounds per acre
McLean County (tie) – 2,855 pounds per acre
Ohio County (tie) – 2,855 pounds per acre
Muhlenberg County – 2,715 pounds per acre
Daviess County – 2,650 pounds per acre
Christian County – 2,640 pounds per acre

Yield for Kentucky increased from 1,600 pounds per acre in 2016 to 2,700 pounds per acre in 2017.

Christian County is the leading dark fire-cured tobacco producing county in Kentucky for 2017, with production totaling 8,800,000 pounds harvested from 2,880 acres. With only three publishable counties, the rankings are as follows:

Christian County – 8,800,000 pounds
Trigg County – 4,150,000 pounds
Logan County – 1,150,000 pounds

Total production for the Commonwealth was 37,950,000 pounds harvested from 11,500 acres.

Trigg County had the highest dark fire-cured tobacco yield at 3,515 pounds per acre. The top three counties for yield include:\

Trigg County – 3,515 pounds per acre
Christian County – 3,055 pounds per acre
Logan County – 2,555 pounds per acre

Yield for Kentucky increased from 2,300 pounds per acre in 2016 to 3,300 pounds per acre in 2017.

County-level estimates are used by other USDA agencies to set standards for insurance and risk protection programs many farmers rely on to protect their operations.

“Farm Service Agency (FSA) relies on the county-level estimates for Agricultural Risk Coverage (ARC), Price Loss Coverage (PLC), County Loan Rates, and its disaster program calculations,” Knopf said. “The Risk Management Agency (RMA) uses the data for administering the Area Risk Protection Insurance Plan, establishment of transitional yields, and determining when to make crop loss insurance payments. When drought and flooding impact crop production, or even in a year with good yields, these data are crucial to the agriculture industry.”

The next round of county estimates NASS will release for Kentucky is cattle on May 14, 2018.

The complete listing of Kentucky county estimates is available online. For more information, call the NASS Kentucky Field Office at (800) 928-5277.