On Nov. 19, North Carolina tobacco growers will get to choose whether to continue paying 10 cents per 100 pounds of flue-cured and burley tobacco sold in order to support tobacco research and education. 

Since 1991, the Tobacco Research Check-off has allocated $300,000 per year for tobacco-related projects at N.C. State University. The most recent referendum in 2009 passed with 92 percent support. 

“This referendum is extremely important for the future of tobacco production in North Carolina,” says Keith Oakley, president of the North Carolina Tobacco Foundation and state check-off coordinator. Federal funding for tobacco research is no more, he said, and state support has declined, making this “self-help” program vital. 

A two-thirds vote is needed to continue collecting the money. 

Farmers have benefited from the check-off in many ways, including annual training sessions, support for Good Agricultural Practices certification and development of new tobacco varieties, according to Dr. Richard Linton, dean of N.C. State’s College of Agriculture and Life Sciences.

Contact your local Cooperative Extension office for polling locations. Keith Oakley, 919.515.9262 or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..