Less than a month after getting their first quota increase
in four years, Virginia tobacco farmers and others who own
the right to grow the crop got more good news yesterday.
A private board led by Gov. Jim Gilmore has approved $16
million in payments to partially compensate tobacco farmers
and quota owners for income they have lost because of falling
demand for the state's largest cash crop.
It will be the second round of payments tobacco producers
have received from a $5.15 billion trust fund set up by major
cigarette companies. . .
A 14-member private board appointed by Gilmore controls
Virginia's share of the trust fund, about $340 million over
12 years.
source: Richmond Times-Dispatch
(Dec 30, 2000)
http://www.timesdispatch.com/business/MGBCEM1NCHC.html
by John Reid Blackwell
(804) 775-8123
