Attention Tobacco Growers!
I have recently become aware of a timely issue—Tobacco Growers GAPs, or Good Agriculture Practices. For the last year tobacco industry stakeholders including tobacco manufacturers, leaf merchants, universities and growers groups have been working to develop a single set of guidelines for US tobacco production. This effort has been focused on consolidating existing GAP guidance and standardizing grower expectations and requirements in the areas of recordkeeping, training and production practices.
I am trying to put together a meeting for Southern Indiana Growers to receive GAPs training because all of the trainings I am aware of are in Kentucky. The GAPs training will take place at the USDA building in Scott County on Friday, March 22nd at 12:00 pm. It will be over by 1:30 pm. This session will only be held if we can arrange attendance of ten or more growers. If you would like to attend please call my office 812-752-8450 and rsvp by Wednesday, March 20, 2013. Also, please talk to other fellow growers and help spread the word as I do not have everyone’s contact information.
The GAPs training sessions are required for growers selling tobacco to the following companies in 2013:
RJ Reynolds Tobacco Company
Santa Fe Natural Tobacco Company
American Snuff Company
United Tobacco Company
Universal Leaf North America
Alliance One International
Japan Tobacco International
Philip Morris USA
US Smokeless Tobacco Company
US Tobacco Cooperative
Hail and Cotton Inc.
The GAPs training sessions are recommended for growers selling tobacco to the following in 2013:
Philip Morris International
Burley Stabilization
Open/Auction Markets
If you have any questions please feel free to call me at 812-752-8450 or email at mvoyles@purdue.edu.