The somewhat radical idea comes from Citigroup, the multinational bank that helped some tobacco farmers consolidate multiyear government payments into single lump-sums after the 2004 tobacco buyout. A voluntary buyout proposal comes as lawmakers face writing a farm bill in a difficult political and economic environment. Department of Agriculture estimates total payments made to the farm economy are expected to decline to 8.44 billion in 2007 from 16. Hoosier Ag Today, Exclusively committed...

Prosecutors pointed to robbery as the motive, saying Crews needed money because his tobacco crop was poor. Crews' attorneys argued that he was not hurting financially and that there was no gunshot residue on him and no blood on his hands, shoes or coveralls. Kentucky man gets 50-year sentence in tobacco warehouse slaying. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Maddox was shot in the back and beaten. Crews will be eligible for parole in 17....

By Arijit Ghosh and Wahyudi Soeriaatmadja Bloomberg News Published: June 6, 2007 E-Mail Article Listen to Article Printer-Friendly 3-Column Format Translate Share Article Text Size JAKARTA: Indonesia's 542 parliamentarians are dividing along new party lines: smokers versus nonsmokers. By Arijit Ghosh and Wahyudi Soeriaatmadja Bloomberg News Published: June 6, 2007 E-Mail Article Listen to Article Printer-Friendly 3-Column Format Translate Share Article Text Size JAKARTA: Indonesia's 542...

Health care - The Senate agrees to ask voters for a rise in the tobacco tax to fund coverage for uninsured kids Saturday, June 16, 2007 DON COLBURN and BILL GRAVES SALEM -- The Senate agreed Friday to ask voters in November to raise the state's tobacco tax to expand health coverage for about 84,000 uninsured Oregon children. Health care - The Senate agrees to ask voters for a rise in the tobacco tax to fund coverage for uninsured kids Saturday, June 16, 2007 DON COLBURN and BILL GRAVES...

Department of Agriculture said surveys since 1997 have shown annual decreases in the land used for farming in Horry and Brunswick counties. In recent years, and since a federally approved tobacco buyout in 2004, a number of area farmers have sold whole farms or portions for development, or diversified their crops to make continued farming profitable. Avery, which Shelley and his son, Cam, now use for small tasks, is a symbol of their family's roughly 60-year farming tradition. In its...