SUMMARY 



Growers of types 11(a), 11(b), 12, and 13, flue- cured tobacco tie bundles of 25 to 

 30 leaves together for market in Virginia, North Carolina, and South Carolina,, Only- 

 type 14 flue-cured tobacco, grown primarily in Georgia and Florida, is marketed by 

 growers in looseleaf form* 



In the past 5 years over 50 percent of domestic processing capacity has been 

 converted to new types of plants and equipment which produce tobacco strips,, Because 

 of this technological change, bundles are no longer required for processing the major 

 part of flue= cured production. But selling the leaves loose instead of in bundles permits 

 them to become tangled before reaching the processing plant,, Tangled leaves interfere 

 with efficient processing* 



To facilitate keeping the leaves straight-laid as they pass through the auction 

 markets and are transported to the processing plants, a new packing method and cover- 

 ing material were developed and tested,, Actual farm and auction warehouse conditions 

 were used to test the method and material in South Carolina, North Carolina, and 

 Virginia* In total, 273 packages (36,753 pounds) of tobacco were sold on 5 local 

 markets. 



The proposed packaging method for handling loose leaves offers several important 

 advantages over bundle tying. Under farm conditions with the new packaging method, 

 two workers can package 300 pounds of tobacco in 30 minutes, a total of 1 man-hour. 

 A conservative estimate is that farmers preparing tobacco for market would save 

 about 100 hours of farm labor per acre. Tobacco growers and their families were 

 enthusiastic about the new packaging method because it saves labor and eliminates 

 the usually boring and monotonous task of tying the leaves,, 



Adoption of the new packaging method in the area where flue- cured tobacco is 

 tied before marketing would save growers approximately 6 million man-days of 

 labor, or $36 million in labor costs,, The saving would amount to about 3 cents per 

 pound of tobacco,, 



The packing frame developed for the test is inexpensive and easily constructed. 

 Only one or two frames would be needed on the average farm with 3,5 acres of 

 tobacco. The packing frame produces a bale of tobacco that can be easily assimilated 

 into the present auction markets, transportation system, and processing plant tech- 

 nology, Leaves which are packed in straight-laid bales can be rapidly inspected 

 and loaded on processing conveyors without tangling of the leaves or broken midribs. 

 The square-cornered package conserves transporting and storing space and is 

 readily adaptable to mechanized handling throughout the marketing channels, 



A new type of knit-paper sheet was designed and used to cover the tobacco 

 package. This sheet, which replaces burlap or cotton sheets and wooden warehouse 

 baskets, remains with the tobacco from the farm to the processor. Knit-paper sheets 

 have the advantage of being inexpensive and nonshedding, with physical properties 

 of elastic conformity and high wet strength. 



The new package would reduce labor costs at the warehouse because the tobacco 

 would not need to be put into warehouse baskets before sale and back into sheets 

 after sale. 



The flue- cured tobacco growers have strong competition, primarily from Southern 

 Rhodesia and Canada, These countries have what the world tobacco trade considers 

 to be superior farm packaging methods and materials. It is important that the 

 sales appeal of U,S, tobacco in the world markets be increased if the growers expect 

 to maintain or increase their relative competitive position, 



- iii - 



