A handful of North Carolina tobacco farmers put on their Sunday best this morning and traveled up to Washington with the N.C. Agribusiness Council to try to change minds in the Senate about FDA oversight.
Pender Sharp, who grows 500 acres near Wilson, N.C., said the group wants to remind senators of the families and communities behind the tobacco industry.
The Senate is debating legislation that would put oversight of tobacco products within the Food and Drug Administration. It is opposed by both Sens. Richard Burr and Kay Hagan — but few others in the Senate.
So far, Sharp said this afternoon, the farmers aren't having much luck changing minds.
"Oh no, we'e not having that kind of impact," he said. "We just want to plant seeds in their minds as they engage in this debate. (We want to) put a face to the bill they’re voting on, and talk about the impacts in the community."
Sharp said the group has met with aides to senators from other Southern states that grow some tobacco, including Sens. Mary Landrieu of Louisiana, Thad Cochran of Mississippi, Blanche Lincoln of Arkansas and Jim Webb of Virginia.
Previously: Sharp records robocall for Obama.
Comments
Re: Tobacco farmers head to Washington
June 4, 2009 - 9:14pm — debbieh57I would say that tobacco is probably about as useful as alcohol, french fries, hamburgers, MP3 players, cake and ice cream, a 12 oz sirloin and the carcinogens generated by the charcoal you cook it with; but the point is, it is the freedom of choice we have as adults to consume these products or not. No one thinks kids should smoke. That is a decision they will make for themselves when they reach adulthood. The fact that it is illegal for minors to drink alcohol, smoke marijuana, use crack or meth, or snort cocaine certainly doesn't stop the children of this nation from using those illegal products. Many of our problems exist because of irresponsible, unattentive, and incapable parents that lack the disciplinary skills to raise children. This sorry bunch had rather see government pass laws to keep their children on the straight and narrow than to raise them themselves...what a cope out!!!!! Oh by the way, there is not one penny of taxpayer money that subsidizes tobacco farming in any way!!!! But on the other hand EVERY acre of tobacco grown generates two hundred thousand dollars ($200,000.00) in cigarette excise taxes which is used by the government to create programs to raise people's children for them!
Re: Tobacco farmers head to Washington
June 3, 2009 - 4:28pm — KingixolibSame as drugs......it helps grease the slide into office for many in this country.
Re: Tobacco farmers head to Washington
June 3, 2009 - 4:26pm — j1c2kpI understand that tobacco put food on the table, kids through college, etc. But what I cannot figure out is why a product that has no purpose except to possibly give people cancer is still subsidized by taxpayers. What other purpose is there to tobacco?