Tobacco is a very controversial crop. At one point in history, one could see fields full of tobacco for miles in warm climes. Regulations on tobacco farmers were very minimal. However, health warnings greatly slowed down growing tobacco on farms and placed many new rules on its growth.

Tobacco as found in most stores includes cigarette tobacco, chewing tobacco, and smokeless tobacco. However, the tobacco basics from field to store go way beyond the types of tobacco products on the shelf. Before you consider entering the tobacco industry, learn different aspects of tobacco and think about the following facts:

1. Tobacco is a labor-intensive crop grown in fields.

2. Farmers sell tobacco to companies for processing.

3. Stores sell many different types of tobacco on their shelves.

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Raising tobacco requires a government allotment

Unlike some other crops, one cannot simply begin raising and selling tobacco. The government controls raising tobacco, and only certain tobacco allotments are available. Owners fulfill them or lease them out to other growers. Many tobacco farmers buy small tobacco plants to transplant to their farm.

I recommend: View the article about growing tobacco from Bold Web. Read about growing tobacco at New Hope Seed.

Tobacco goes to a tobacco company for processing

Before tobacco is ready to sell, workers must top it in the field. They cut and hang it to dry and strip its leaves. Farmers then bring tobacco leaf bundles to tobacco warehouses where workers grade them. Tobacco companies and tobacco leaf dealers purchase the crop to create tobacco products to sell at stores. Different types of tobacco and different qualities of tobacco create different types of products.

I recommend: Discover more about processing tobacco from Tobacco Journal. EPA also gives information about tobacco processing.

Tobacco distributors sell tobacco to various types of stores

The tobacco travels from the warehouse to the distributor to many different types of stores. Grocery stores, convenience stores, and gift shops often sell various types of tobacco products. Tobacco outlets are stores dedicated to the selling of tobacco and claim to sell tobacco for less than other stores. Such stores have a larger quantity and variety of tobacco in stock. Because of health risks, the government requires stores to verify proof of customer age before selling the tobacco.

I recommend: View laws and facts about selling tobacco in your store from Tobacco Facts and the Food and Drug Administration.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  Dried tobacco is sticky and strong smelling. Be careful about too much exposure to the crop in its dry state, and be aware of the health of workers. Some tobacco farm workers find that they are allergic to tobacco and develop a rash when in contact with it.

Tobacco has been one America's biggest indulgences and vices since Native American times. Tobacco experts believe the first tobacco plants started growing in the Americas in 6000 BC. Today's tobacco products come in a variety of forms including tobacco leaf, pipe tobacco, cigarette tobacco, chewing tobacco and smokeless tobacco.

The tobacco business is comprised of tobacco distributors, tobacco leaf dealers, tobacco manufacturers and other tobacco companies. To offer the best tobacco and largest tobacco variety to the customers of your tobacco shops, you should:

1. Survey customers to determine the tobacco products they want so you'll know what to carry in your tobacco shop.

2. Find reputable tobacco distributors and companies from which to purchase tobacco.

3. Purchase wholesale tobacco to save money and offer better prices to customer.

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Survey customers to pick the tobacco products you want to carry

Explore the different varieties and flavors of tobacco available to offer the best choices to your customers. The varieties include rolling tobacco, smokeless, pipe, cigarettes, chewing and other varieties of loose tobacco.

I recommend: Roll Your Own has a guide of rolling, or loose, tobacco varieties. This is an inclusive guide about the varieties and flavors available to help you choose the best rolling tobacco for your customers. Hookah Hub offers a large variety of Hookah tobacco and ships all over the country.

Find reputable tobacco distributors and companies

Finding and using a reputable tobacco grower, distributor or company is vitally important to the success of your business. There are many legal guidelines surrounding the growing, manufacturing, distributing and selling of tobacco.

I recommend: Farmer's Tobacco Company grows tobacco on their farm in Kentucky as well as manufacturing and selling Kentucky's Best cigarettes. They offer wholesale prices to retailers. Don Manuel Cigars offer a large variety of cigars made from the tobacco grown on their family owned tobacco farm in California. They specialize in organically grown tobacco cigars.

Purchase wholesale tobacco to save money

Purchasing tobacco wholesale can save you money and help to build a solid relationship with a valued tobacco wholesaler, possibly bringing you additional savings in the future. Wholesale tobacco is often bought in bulk for rolling or Hookah tobacco.

I recommend: Wholesale Tobacco sells a large variety of tobacco in bulk quantities at wholesale prices. This includes pipe tobacco, snuff and even accessories, like pipes or rolling papers. MCT Wholesale is a wholesale company selling products to convenience and tobacco stores. They offer not only a variety of tobacco, but also other products giving you one-stop shopping.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  Always post tobacco warnings and age restrictions on the front entryway of your store. This is mandated by law.

Tobacco education and training provides the edge you need when starting a tobacco company. Tobacco companies rely on education and training to properly learn the regulations and techniques needed to create quality tobacco products. Training offers information about all aspects of tobacco growing, processing and curing.

Tobacco education and training enhances the end product from the tobacco you grow. Laws and regulations placed on tobacco farmers include environmental, sales and safety laws. These regulations are a vital part of proper tobacco growth and processing. These laws must be followed by every tobacco company. Growing tips include information about soil types, seasons and fertilizers. Curing the tobacco allows the tobacco to ferment before use. When starting a farm read the sections below to gain incite into proper growth and processing of tobacco.

1. Locate laws and regulations for tobacco leaf dealers.

2. Learn how to grow quality tobacco for your tobacco company.

3. Utilize curing tips that enhance your tobacco company's products.

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Locate government regulations and information for tobacco leaf dealers

Complying with the federal government when growing and processing your tobacco is a must for all tobacco companies. These government regulations are enforced by a variety of government offices and can result in closer of the company if not followed.

I recommend: Find information and national regulations on tobacco growing, processing and sale at Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau. UICC GLOBALink has a detailed guide "The Tobacco Reference Guide" hat has a variety of information on environmental regulations and legal issues tobacco farmer's may face.

Improve your tobacco company's crop

Growing healthy tobacco plants is the first step in tobacco processing. Growing techniques change the taste and quality of the tobacco product. These growing tips also give suggestions for the types of seeds to plant and fertilizers to use.

I recommend: Find a how-to guide about growing cigarette tobacco at eHow.com. LoveToKnow offers growing tips and guides for tobacco distributors. GrowIt Gold Works provides a detailed guide for growing tobacco products.

Learn curing techniques to create quality products for tobacco companies

Curing tobacco prepares the product for use in pipes, cigars, cigarettes and chewing tobacco. These curing tips teach how to build a curing facility and how to properly use the facility.

I recommend: Visit the Plantation House website for information about how to cure tobacco. Answerbag provides guides for curing chewing tobacco and organic tobacco. The American Chronicle supplies articles about curing pipe tobacco for wholesale tobacco dealers.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  If you are starting a tobacco farm, buy a variety of tobacco seeds. This allows you to find the best seeds for the climate and soil of your farm.

Knowing more about tobacco key terms will help a buyer, a seller, a shipper or anyone in between. Being aware of terms and definitions will help you appear more knowledgeable and trustworthy as a business person, and it will help you better in the field when working with colleagues and other contacts. It allows you to become part of the industry conversation by allowing you to exercise your knowledge by sharing what you know.

Tobacco key terms can include types of tobacco, methods for harvesting or preparing the plant and more. You want to be prepared for conversations about every stage of the process in the tobacco industry from planting to smoking. So you want to familiarize yourself with every step of the process along the way. Whatever role you play with tobacco, you should also be ready to answer questions concerning the terminology revolving around medical concerns that center around the tobacco industry as well.

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Hogshead

The hogshead is the cylindrical wooden container that has two mats and two heads. It is about four feet in diameter and four feet tall and holds approximately 1,000 pounds of tobacco.

I recommend: Find out more about a hogshead of tobacco from Tobacco.org. The Good Stuff also has information on hogsheads of tobacco as well.

Grading

Grading is classifying tobacco by its physical characteristics such as its body, its color or its stalk size.

I recommend: Find out about tobacco grading from The United States Department of Agriculture Agriculture Marketing Service. Find out "Detailed Information on the Agricultural Commodity Grading and Certification Programs Assessment" from ExpectMore.gov.

Dealer

Tobacco dealers are federally-approved brokers of tobacco sales.

I recommend: Find out more information on tobacco dealers from the International Premium Cigar & Pipe Retailers Association.

Prize room

The prize room is where redried units of tobacco are packed weighted and tagged.

I recommend: Learn about the prize room from Becker's Quality Cigar Lexicon.

Flue-cured

Flue-cured tobacco is bright leaf tobacco that you can find in southern states such as Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia and Florida that is heat-cured in enclosed barns. You can also find flue-cured tobacco in foreign countries such as in Brazil, Zimbabwe, India, Canada and China.

I recommend: Find out more information on flue-cured tobacco from the Flue-Cured Tobacco Cooperative. Their co-op includes farmers from Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Virginia.

American blend

American blends are popular for cigarettes and are made from a combination of flue-cured tobaccos, oriental and burley tobacco products.

I recommend: Look at the American blend from Randy's Tobacco Shop.