• Replace inflammatory rhetoric, stereotyping, and automatic enmity in favor of civil, problem solving dialogue;
• Understand each others' needs, values and concerns;
• Identify areas of common ground and even interdependence, while acknowledging areas of difference; and, finally,
• Work together to create realistic, sensible and sustainable options for communities and families facing pressures associated with transition.

Greetings! By the time you read this you likely already know that the McCain bill, which was scheduled to come to a final vote by May 22, is still to be decided in June or later. Whatever happens, we will continue to work to bring together people interested in the preserving a viable future for tobacco producing communities.

We had an extraordinary two days in Washington May 18 and 19, beginning with the Southern Tobacco Communities Roundtable meeting on the 18th which attracted some 20 tobacco farm leaders and health advocates. They were joined by representatives from the White House, Senate, and USDA, who were there to provide up-to-date information about the McCain legislation and its farm portions (modified LEAF Act), as well as the challenge offered to the LEAF Act by Sen. Lugar.

A joint letter was approved emphasizing key portions of the Core Principles Statement Between the Public Health Community and the Tobacco Producer Community [see enclosure]. A joint advertisement, to run in tobacco community newspapers, was also approved [see enclosure]. Participants also agreed to host a joint news conference the next day to counter disinformation being promulgated concerning tobacco farmers' views, health goals, and legislation. The intention of the letter, advertisement, and press conference is to point to the shared public health and tobacco farm goals at a time when significant legislation impacting those goals is being considered.

The White House and Senate staffers who attended the May 18 meeting both strongly asserted the vital role played by the coalition of tobacco producers and health advocates who have been working together on the future of tobacco growing communities.

After the meeting, many participants attended a joint news conference called by Sens. Lugar and McConnell of Kentucky. Many were very disappointed to hear Sen. McConnell endorse a modified Lugar plan, which calls for a buyout of $8/lb. paid over three years, transition payments of $4/lb. for producers, $1 billion in economic development aid, and the complete elimination of any sort of tobacco program at all. Danny McKinney, CEO of the Burley Tobacco Growers Cooperative, attracted as much attention as the two senators when he attacked the ending of the program. Many of the health advocates and tobacco producers were able to talk with the media who were there to offer a different view that was presented by the senators.
 
 

The next day, May 19, several of the farm leaders joined health leaders at a national press conference, condemning the Lugar-McConnell Act and re-emphasizing the goals of the Core Principles. Senator Robb joined the press conference as well. Their statements received considerable media attention. You can access the statement of Mohammad N. Akhter, director of the American Public Health Association.
 
 

The move to end a tobacco program has generated some startling figures. According to reports...

1) The Lugar plan allocates $17 billion for tobacco farmers the first 3 years, with much coming from money now earmarked for health research and smoking prevention, while the entire Commerce committee bill is expected to generate $39 billion in the first 3 years. The LEAF Act spends $16.5 billion on tobacco farmers over 10 years ($28.5 billion over 25 years), and $6.3 billion for the first three years.

2) The Agriculture Department predicted that and end to the tobacco program would cause flue-cured tobacco prices to fall from $1.72 to $1.15/lb. and burley prices to fall from $1.89 to $1.35/lb., with an estimated savings for the tobacco companies domestically of $800 million/year. They also estimated that domestic flue-cured production could increase 50 percent and burley production 20 percent. The US price support program serves as the umbrella for world price. Currently 16 billion pounds of tobacco are produced world wide. An average of $.25 per pound price reduction worldwide would create a total benefit to cigarette manufacturers of approximately $4 billion annually.