The Kentucky Tobacco Settlement Trust (Phase II) Board voted to base the 2000 Phase II payment on the 1999 data base of active quota owners and growers.

The 2000 distribution will be just like last year where the quota owner will receive one-third of the distribution of funds; the growing farm and the grower/tenant will each also receive one-third of the funds. Payment pounds for quota owners will be based on the 1999 basic quota, while payment pounds for growing farms and growers/tenants will be based on an average of 1999 marketings and effective quota. Although payment pounds will be lower than last year due to quota/marketing cuts, the per unit payment will be slightly higher resulting in total 2000 Phase II payments being equal to last year's $114 million distribution (thanks to a shortfall being made up with Phase I dollars). Specific payment levels will be finalized once the 1999 marketing data are released. John-Mark Hack also announced that T-LAP (federal dollars) will be mailed out between May 1 and May 15. Opportunities will exist after May 15 for those eligible individuals who failed to apply for 1999 Phase II (and thus T-LAP) funds to submit an application for both of these funds. Also an application process is being developed for dark fire-cured growers to receive T-LAP funds. Terrazole Labeled for Kentucky Use According to Dr. William Nesmith, Extension plant pathologist, Terrazole 35 WP was labeled for use in Kentucky as of April 24, 2000. Terrazole is a very effective tool in the control of Pythium and is superior to Ridomil. Mefenoxam-resistant strains of Pythium and black shank are already present, driven by the illegal use of Ridomil in float systems. Terrazole will cause some plant injury, even when used at the labeled rate, but that injury should be acceptable. Failure to use Terrazole as labeled (attention to mixing and application details) will result in very severe and unacceptable plant injury. Increased enforcement activities may result from getting this product labeled, because part of the claim of merit was that it will reduce the widespread illegal use of pesticides in float beds. Terrazole will not be labeled for food crops. It will be labeled only for float beds (in greenhouses or outside). Use in overhead watered systems and outdoor ground beds will be prohibited due to severe plant injury problems. Because this chemical will be labeled for direct contamination of the float water, the state will be required to have a water disposal plan. The only acceptable plan was the same as labeled for Orthene already -- use it as transplant water. Because of human safety and health issues, strong educational efforts will be made to keep kids out of that water. Another major consideration may be the cost. At labeled rates, the cost will be considerably more than present Pythium disease treatment. Strategy to control cutworms in corn What strategy should you select to manage cutworms in particular fields? This is not an easy question to answer. It depends upon the available resources and scouting services, equipment for applying cutworm controls (insecticide boxes and sprayers), history of cutworm activity, and risk factors for the particular field. Monitoring for cutworms and the use of rescue treatments require a dedicated effort. Many producers choose to do this themselves, while others use one of several scouting services to monitor activity. What is the potential for economic losses to cutworms in a particular field? Incidence of cutworm activity is not completely random. Fields with certain characteristics have a greater potential for activity. Cutworm infestations are governed in large part by crop rotation, late planting, low damp areas of the field that drain poorly, excessive fall and early season weed growth, and the tillage or amount of surface residue. Because of these factors, strategies for cutworm control need to be developed on a field-by-field basis. Corn planted into sod has a greater potential for cutworm and wireworm activity. Corn following soybeans or wheat and using reduced tillage is also at greater risk for cutworms. While reduced tillage is encouraged for soil and energy conservation, fields using these practices tend to have higher levels of weeds and decaying organic matter. The increased crop residue and weediness of reduced tillage fields may place these at a higher risk for infestation than conventional tillage fields by encouraging cutworm egg laying. However, controlling weeds after a cutworm population has become established forces cutworms to feed on the corn seedlings. Ideally, weed control should be initiated 10 to 14 days prior to planting to reduce cutworm levels.

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