Degree Name
MA (Master of Arts)
Program
Sociology
Date of Award
5-2007
Committee Chair or Co-Chairs
Scott H. Beck
Committee Members
Lindsey King, Martha Copp
Abstract
This thesis addresses the Burley Tobacco Buyout Program and its impact on three local economies. Data collection involved obtaining information from government reports, internet sources, public documents, agriculture offices, federal agriculture officials, and books. Personal interviews were conducted with 32 farmers in Sullivan County, Tennessee; Washington County, Virginia; and Watauga County, North Carolina.
This study is significant because it addresses not only the decline of an agricultural product but also changes in a way of life in Southern Appalachia. The future of burley tobacco growing in this region appears to be bleak because of foreign market competition and decreasing domestic demand. From the personal interviews, many farmers had already abandoned tobacco production and older respondents were often planning to stop all farming practices. Specifics of the federal government-mandated Buyout Program to compensate quota holders and growers are presented, as well as the experiences and opinions of farmers regarding this program.
Document Type
Thesis - unrestricted
Recommended Citation
Jarrett, William T., "The Burley Tobacco Buyout Program and Its Impact on Farmers in Tennessee, Virginia, and North Carolina." (2007). Electronic Theses and Dissertations. Paper 2039. https://dc.etsu.edu/etd/2039
Copyright
Copyright by the authors.