An eastern North Carolina lawmaker is calling on the federal government to take action to support North Carolina’s flue-cured tobacco farmers, who are facing significant financial hardship after the abrupt halt of exports to China.
In a letter sent this week to U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer and Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins, Representative Don Davis urged immediate coordination between their departments to help protect tobacco growers and provide relief for the mounting losses.
“Flue-cured tobacco is a cornerstone of eastern North Carolina’s economy," Davis said. "When trade disruptions occur, tobacco growers should not be left experiencing the greatest harm.”
China has historically been the largest buyer of U.S. flue-cured tobacco, buying between 60–65 million pounds each year, but the recent withdrawal of Chinese buyers has left nearly 60 million pounds of unsold product with a more than $220 million export value.
