This weekend, I spoke with a farmer who grew up on a Southern Maryland farm and still lives there today. I learned about many different things, such as the history and size of the farm, as well as the animals and crops they raised. The most important topic, however, that came up was the crop issue. Seeing that the fields are mostly grown up, I asked if this farm was still being worked and if so, what they were growing. I was informed that the 20 plus acres we were walking across was previously covered with tobacco. Apparently in Saint Mary's County, one of the highest selling and most profitable crops was tobacco. Growing tobacco is a "300-year-old tradition" within Southern Maryland and has been a means of employment for just as long. But what I learned next is what makes this discovery all the more relevant.
Several years ago, when laws were passed and information appeared about tobacco being so harmful to the human body, local farmers were hit hard. Recognizing that this was a career and only means of income for so many farmers, the government began issuing tobacco buyouts. These BUYOUTS consist of the government essentially paying farmers to stop growing tobacco to sell to cigarette companies as well as for personal use purposes. Though many farmers accepted this deal, there are still a few that continue to plant their tobacco each year. Since this buyout there has been a decrease in tobacco production and farmers have had to come up with other uses for their land, which we will tackle next...
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