Offering Alternatives to Tobacco Production: Grapes, Vegetables and Cut Flowers

1. Offering Alternatives to Tobacco Production: Grapes, Vegetables and Cut Flowers Ben Beale Extension Educator St. Mary’s Co. Maryland bbeale@umd.edu

3. Tobacco in the Last 30 years

4. Maryland Tobacco Buyout • $1 per lb based on average production over a 10 year period. • Agreement never to raise tobacco again • Requirement to remain in agriculture production • Does not involve any quota system. • Buyout administered through the Southern Maryland Agricultural Development Commission

5. Maryland Tobacco Buyout: Results • 86% of eligible Maryland producers exited the tobacco industry. This equates to approximately 800 growers. • Remaining growers have switched to Burley production under contract • Production of tobacco has stabilized at about 1 million pounds

6. Introduction to the Presenter

7. 1953

8. 1982

9. 1992 In 1997, the median farm size was 62 acres which generated an average farm gross income of $33,906. In St. Mary’s County, 98% of all farms generated less than $250,000.

14. Summary: • In the last 10 years, Southern Maryland has undergone rapid and un-precedented change. • Local non-farm Environment: Rapid population growth, escalation of land values, influx of new cultures not familiar to farms, expansion of Naval base • Farm Environment: Rapid change in tobacco industry as result of tobacco buyout, Consolidation in other commodities

15. Extension’s Role: • Cooperative Extension is looked to provide opportunities/ alternatives for producers. • Assist growers with both: • Production • Marketing • Potential Roles: • Education regarding new crop opportunities • Research on new crop opportunities • Crop budgets and marketing and feasibility plans • Assist growers evaluate new enterprises

16. Fresh Market Vegetables A popular choice readily accepted by growers • Marketing and production system are complex and unforgiving.

17. Meeting Production Needs • Expand on existing framework • Held an annual vegetable conference with area specialist and agents • Twilight Tours to area farms • Developed informational booth with relevant production manuals and fact sheets. • Distributed production manuals at convenient locations. Included books as part of registration at vegetable conference. • Organized tours to various field days

18. Quality and Consistency: Getting things in the right place!

20. Tomato Fruit Disorders

22. Meeting Marketing Needs • Reinforce the notion that producers must have a home for the product before they grow it. • Networked with growers and Agricultural Commission to set up Round-Table Talks with area wholesale food companies or distributors. • Worked with local farmers to develop a wholesale produce marketing auction. • Developed Enterprise Budgets for local area.

26. Loveville Produce Auction • 60 growers, many new to vegetable farming • 600 buyers • 2nd year sales over $1 million

32. Cut Flowers

33. Meeting Production Needs • New crop for the area with many unknown production variables • Set up grower trials for varieties in specific areas. • Simplify pesticide recommendations and provide information on crop use and labeling requirements • Network growers with other areas, • Conducted cut flower conferences and twilight tours

41. Meeting Marketing Needs • Establishing market contacts in this business is critical. Do not recommend growers start until markets are identified. • Network growers with potential buyers. Arrange for tours of facilities and company operations • Provide growers with information on new varieties on the market

43. Wine Grape Production

45. Why Grapes? • Small acreage requirement • Up to 5 acres: Part-time venture • 5-10 acres: Part-time plus seasonal hired help • 10-15 acre: full time potential • High Dollar return per acre • $3000-$7000 per acre gross returns • Labor demands are spread throughout the year • Harvesting requires additional help • Dormant Pruning in winter time, training and spraying in spring –summer, • Soil and climate seem suitable • Low water reguirement

46. Production Needs • Established a research and demonstration vineyard at Experiment station • The vineyard was comprised of 27 varieties. • A volunteer vineyard team was formed to aid the care and management of the vineyard. • The research vineyard also served as an excellent teaching and outreach tool as volunteers became involved in viticultural practices in the vineyard.

47. Production Needs • Twilight Tours on three occasions to 168 growers • 1 day Beginning Grape Growers Workshop for 85 producers • Farm Walking Tour on 5 occasions to 120 producers • Area vineyard tour for policy makers on 2 occasions to 49 attendees • Field visits and individual on-site consultations on 150 occasions • Presentations at regional conferences at 7 conferences to 300 producers

48. April 16, 2001

49. May, 2001