Tobacco Auction Has New Site
ANDY ANDREWS
Lancaster Farming Staff
QUARRYVILLE (Lancaster
Co.) The Pennsylvania To
bacco Marketing Association
has a new location for the auc
tion.
Plans are under way to house
the tobacco auction at the So
lanco Fairgrounds in Quarry
ville.
According to Dennis Hess,
auction manager, work needs to
be done at the site, including in
stalling loading docks. But a
tentative sale has been set for the
first Wednesday or Thursday in
January (Jan. 3 or 4). A phone
number and an exact auction
date and time will be provided in
the weeks ahead.
Hess noted, “Some buyers will
support us.” Private purchase of
tobacco has been occurring the
past several weeks.
Through private sales, some
tobacco is moving at a fairly
good price, Hess noted. He’s
heard growers are receiving
$l.OO-$1.25 per pound.
Hess said a private buyer is
purchasing Maryland 609 type
for a cigarette made entirely
from tobacco grown here.
Good neighbors
in dairy country.
However, growers should
keep in mind that if they are as
sociation members, they must
ensure that the association re
ceives 3 cents per pound on all
tobacco sold privately or pro
cessed.
Last year, growers received
about 42 cents per pound if the
signed up for the money from
the tobacco industry settlement.
This year, the price said Hess is
“considerably less.” The settle
ment checks are going in the
mail the first couple days in Jan
uary, noted Hess.
Growers should make sure
they grade the tobacco properly,
noted Hess, and keep the mois
ture levels down. They should
also keep bales light. The ideal
weight for tobacco bales is be
tween 50-60 pounds. If they are
packed together and become too
heavy, the tobacco can become
damaged, especially if wet.
Also, for growers who experi
enced blue mold problems in to
bacco, that tobacco should be
graded separately, said Hess.
For more information about
the auction, contact Hess at
(717)626-6970.
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