Tennessee
Tobacco farming, once integral to Southern and Tennessee culture, has virtually vanished
Tobacco farming — once central to the South’s economy and culture — has all but vanished from the region.
The end of government support for the crop in 2005, coupled with a sharp decline in smoking and stiff global competition from China, India and Brazil, guaranteed a decline in tobacco production. But even experts have been surprised by how quickly the crop has faded from prominence.
“The magnitude of loss in farms is pretty alarming,” said Will Snell, who studies tobacco production at the University of Kentucky.
The most recent data collected reveals a severe drop in tobacco production, according to the 2022 U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Census of Agriculture released in February.
The number of U.S. farms growing tobacco shrank 95% from 2002 to 2022. Meanwhile, Tennessee saw a 97% decline in tobacco farms. Only 241 Tennessee farms grew tobacco in 2022 compared to 8,206 farms in 2002.
The rise of vaping and nicotine pouches has further reduced the demand for tobacco.
As predicted by experts, the farms that continue to grow tobacco have increased the number of acres they devote to the crop.
The average Tennessee tobacco farm was 4.4 acres in 2002. In 2022, it jumped to 51.4 acres, according to the Census.
“I think we’re down to a critical mass of growers,” Snell said.
In Tennessee, the little tobacco farming that remains has concentrated in Middle Tennessee, said Mitchell Richmond of the University of Tennessee Institute of Agriculture.
Richmond, who comes from a farming family, remembers when a few acres of lucrative tobacco was essential to a family farm in Tennessee.
“A couple of acres max of tobacco is how a lot of families would pay for the farm, pay for the Christmas groceries,” he said.
Many people Richmond knows paid for their college by working for tobacco growers in the summers.
Other crops, like watermelons and hemp, have held promise as new high-value cash crops but haven’t matched the onetime-prominence of tobacco.
“There’s never really been a crop that has come through since that can replace that kind of income,” Richmond said.
Todd A. Price is a regional reporter for the USA TODAY Network. He can be reached at taprice@gannett.com.
Tennessee
Vols Make Splash Hire With Jim Knowles | VFL Kevin Burnett Talks Tennessee Football | The RTI Low Down | Rocky Top Insider
On this week’s episode of The RTI Low Down, Bob Baskerville and Chris Low are diving into a huge week for the Tennessee Football program.
The guys start the show by discussing the Vols’ big move to fire Tim Banks and the splash hire in acquiring defensive coordinator Jim Knowles.
Bob and Chris are then joined by VFL and SEC Legend Kevin Burnett to talk about his time on Rocky Top, his thoughts on playing under defensive coordinators, Josh Heupel’s current team, and more.
The guys close down the show by breaking down Tennessee’s 2026 schedule, Vol Hoops’ tough test on the hardwood this week, and much more. Download and subscribe TODAY!
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The RTI Low-Down is brought to you by the Tate Insurance Group. Find out more information at www.tateinsurancegroup.com
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More from RTI: Tennessee Football 2025 Transfer Tracker – Who has Announced They’re Entering the Portal So Far
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YouTube –
0:00 Intro
8:30 Tennessee Fires Tim Banks, Hires Jim Knowles
21:25 VFL Kevin Burnett Talks Vol Football!
43:20 UT 2026 Schedule
50:17 Tennessee Basketball Faces Huge Test on Tuesday
1:01:06 Close
Tracking the opt outs for both Tennessee and Illinois before the Music City Bowl on December 30 (5:30 p.m. Eastern Time, ESPN) at Nissan Stadium in Nashville:
Tennessee
Linebacker Arion Carter: Carter over the last seasons had 96 tackles, 13.5 tackles for loss and 1.5 sacks in 31 career games. He had a team-high 76 tackles this season, with 6.0 tackles for loss and 1.5 sacks while appearing in 10 games. He missed two games and was limited against Oklahoma in November while dealing with turf toe injuries. Carter had 68 tackles and 6.5 tackles for loss in 13 games last season and 17 tackles and 1.0 tackles for loss in eight games as a freshman in 2023.
Wide Receiver Chris Brazzell II: He a breakout senior season in his second year with the Vols, catching 62 passes for 1,017 yards and nine touchdowns. He had 19 catches for 333 yards and two touchdowns in 2024, after transferring from Tulane. In 15 games at Tulane he caught 45 passes for 722 yards and five touchdowns. Brazzell is ranked No. 7 at wide receiver on Mel Kiper Jr.’s NFL Draft Big Board. He’s ranked No. 34 overall on ESPN’s list of the best available prospects in the draft.
Cornerback Jermod McCoy: Did not play this season after tearing his ACL during offseason training in January. He was a star last season with 44 tackles, nine passes defended and four interceptions. He had 31 tackles and two interceptions in 12 games as a freshman at Oregon State before transferring to Tennessee.
Illinois
Offensive Tackle J.C. Davis: Bret Bielema said the Illinois starting left tackle is opting out of the Music City Bowl. He was an All-Big Ten First Team pick by the league coaches this season and the No. 3 left tackle this season according to Pro Football Focus grades. He had made 49 straight starts before opting out of the bowl game.
EDGE Gabe Jacas: The Illinois outside linebacker declared for the NFL Draft on Friday night. He led the Big Ten this season with 11.0 sacks. He had 13.5 tackles for loss and 43 total tackles in 12 games this season. He finishes second in Illinois program history for career sacks, with 27.0, trailing only Simeon Rice. Jacas had 74 tackles, 8.0 sacks and 13.0 tackles for loss last season, after combining for 8.0 sacks and 9.0 tackles for loss in his first two seasons at Illinois.
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