The Farm Income Improvement Foundation has established a program for 2002 of recognizing and awarding burley tobacco farmers beltwide for innovative methods and equipment to improve tobacco production.

The innovative methods and equipment can relate to improving tobacco production practices, improving quality, reducing costs, saving labor, or improving market preparation procedures.

The methods or equipment must have been in existence for the 2002 crop year. Evidence will be shown by a video and a written description as part of the application form. The awards committee urges farmers to be sure the video is of high quality.

The application form and photos are to be mailed to the address shown on the form and must be postmarked by November 1, 2002. The submission of the application grants the FIIF permission to publicly reveal the method or equipment submitted should it be selected as one of the winners.

Judging will be done by a FIIF Awards Committee based on the following guidelines:

Does it work? (Performs as claimed)

Is it profitable? (Economic benefits above costs)

Can everyone use it? (Suitable for small and large producers)

Does it maintain or improve quality? (Produces top quality tobacco)

Is it now, or could it be, readily available? (Readily available to all producers)

Is it safe to use? (Safety)

How does it benefit tobacco production? (Practicality)

Each application selected as a winner can be awarded a cash prize of $1,000 to $10,000.

Any individual can be a winner only once per year (no duplicate awards).

Applications with multiple participants will have the cash award divided equally among the participants. The FIIF Awards Committee reserves the right to view the innovative

method/equipment and/or interview the applicant(s) prior to judging.

Add decisions by the FIIF Awards Committee are final.

Winner will be notified by December 31, 2002, and presentation of the cash awards will be made at a public meeting to be announced in early January, 2003.