Independent warehouse owner Charlie Payne said that he is pleased with the 1,365,340 pounds of tobacco that Halifax County growers have designated to New Planters Warehouse this year.
"It amazes me that after what we've been through, the farmers are supporting me the way they are," Payne said yesterday.
"(The designation) will absolutely keep us in business this year," he added.
The warehouseman said that although he hasn't gotten the final numbers from Stabilization, he expects to have over two million pounds in total leaf designation.
Stabilization sends a letter to the warehouses each year informing them of how much tobacco will be sold at their location.
"The final figures should be here shortly," Payne said.
A representative from Stabilization said that the final figures would be available in early May, but Payne is optimistic.
"We polled four (Farm Service Agency) offices, and we were right around two million," he added.
Payne said that a lot of tobacco is brought in to the New Planters Warehouse from North Carolina, Lunenburg County and Pittsylvania County.
"I would like to get 2.6 million pounds, but anything over two million will be fine," he said.
"I learned a long time ago that we wouldn't get rich from tobacco, but we try to do what we can to keep the county alive," Payne added.
According to Kevin Bohon of the Halifax County Farm Service Agency, farmers in the county designated 2,155, 092 pounds of leaf to be sold at auction.
Of the total leaf designated to be auctioned, Bohon noted that 63 percent went to the local marketing center.
"Charlie has gotten a decent designation for all that has happened this year," Bohon said. "He has got a lot of loyal people."
Of the 10,393,038 pounds of tobacco that will be grown in Halifax County, only 20 percent will be sold at auction this year.
"We just have to assume that the other is being contracted," the FSA director said.
Bohon said that he feels that it is significant that the number of people contracting hasn't changed since last year.
"Those people who sold at auction last year have enough faith in the auction system to stay with it," he noted.
The traditional method of marketing tobacco changed dramatically during the 2001 flue-cured tobacco marketing season.
Nearly 80 percent of all tobacco marketed was via direct contract with the manufacturer.
Stabilization will operate 14 marketing centers this year that will not charge producers a fee to sell their leaf.
The move was recently challenged in court by a group of warehousemen, including Payne, who feel that not charging a fee is putting independent warehousemen in jeopardy of losing their business.

Blake Waller of Nathalie and Timothy Slabach of South Boston stole the show Monday at the 44th annual Halifax County Junior Livestock Show & Sale.
Waller took the top honors in the cattle classes, reaping both the Grand Champion and Reserve Champion awards.
He also won first place in the Senior Class showmanship competition for youths ages 14-18.
The sponsor and buyer for Waller's Grand Champion winning entry was Francis Oil Service.
Halifax County Veterinary Clinic was the sponsor and buyer for Waller's Reserve Champion winning entry.
Slabach accomplished almost the same feat when it came to the lamb judgings.
He won two Grand Champion awards, taking the top honors in the judging of both market lambs and replacement ewes.
The sponsor for Slabach's Grand Champion winner in the market lambs judging was Moving Voices. The buyer was Turkey Run Farm.
Slabach's sponsor and buyer for the Grand Champion winning entry in the judging of replacement ewes was Slabach Construction.
Jonathan Fallen of Nathalie took home the Reserve Champion ribbon in the judging of the replacement ewes.
His sponsor was Barksdale Painting and Wallcovering. The buyer was Fisher Brothers' Farm.
In the day's other major judging, Justin Talley of Halifax took home Grand Champion honors in the judging of breeding heifers.
Meredith Palmer of Nathalie earned the Reserve Champion award for her entry in that competition.
The sponsor and buyer for Talley's entry was Spaulding Equipment Insurance.
Palmer's sponsor and buyer was Southern States Cooperative Petroleum Products.
Several judging competitions comprised the day-long event which was held at the Halifax County Fairgrounds.
The results were as follows:
Cattle Classes Showmanship
Senior Class (Ages 14-18)
First Place - Blake Waller, Nathalie
Second Place - Meredith Palmer, Nathalie
Intermediate Class (Ages 9-13)
First Place - Justin Talley, Halifax
Second Place - Sara Beth Slabach, Alton
Lamb Classes Showmanship
Senior Class (Ages 15-19)
First Place - Beth Slabach, So. Boston
Second Place - Ben Slabach, Alton
Intermediate Class (Ages 12-14)
First Place - Timothy Slabach, Alton
Second Place - Buck Watkins, So. Boston
Junior Class (Ages 8-11)
First Place - Sara Beth Slabach, Alton
Second Place - Rebekah Slabach, Alton
Junior Class (Ages 5-7)
First Place - Jacob Talley, Halifax
Second Place - Aaron Slabach, Alton.
This year's junior livestock show and sale had a total of 28 participants.
There were four participants and six animals involved in the steer judging competition and three participants and four animals involved in the heifer judging competition.
The event had 18 participants and 18 animals in the judging of the market lambs.
There were 16 participants and 16 animals involved in the judging of the replacement ewes.
Approximately 200 persons attended the evening meal and sale.

An Economic Development Vision Summit is being planned for May 18 to help chart the course for Halifax County's future.
"We are putting this together so that the leaders of the different jurisdictions can meet to discuss the future of economic development in Halifax County," David Martin, chairman of the Halifax County Board of Supervisors, said yesterday.
The meeting will be conducted by John Lovorn, president of Pace Group.
Lovorn has been hired to conduct a search for candidates to replace Bill Confroy, who is retiring as Industrial Development Authority director.
"The Pace Group has a planning program that they usually charge $4,500 to put together, but they are throwing that into the cost of the IDA director search," said Ronnie Vaughan, chairman of the Economic Development Council.
Martin has invited members of the Halifax County Board of Supervisors, the Halifax Town Council and the South Boston Town Council.
"We are also inviting the board of the Industrial Development Authority and other leaders from the area," he added.
"We're trying to include everyone that needs to be there," Vaughan said.
"What we want to do is look at the IDA and where that group needs to be going, and try to tie it together with the EDC and Chamber of Commerce so that we can all get on the same page and head in the same direction," he added.
"The purpose of the meeting is to paint a broad picture," Martin said. "It will be a chance for us to step back and forge a master plan for Halifax County as it relates to the economic development of our region."
He pointed out that the group would take a positive and proactive approach.
"We want people to say what's on their minds," Martin said. "A lot of times in the public arena, people restrict their ideas."
He said that the meeting will essentially be a brainstorming session.
"There is no agenda. It will be a free discussion about the assets and challenges of the county, and its direction in the future," Martin said.
"It's going to be the first step in developing a plan for the entire county for the next 20 years," Vaughan said.

For the love of music, they gather each week to practice. Among them are middle school and high school students, former professional players, several music teachers and a host of adults who enjoyed playing in high school and college. They number about 30 and are members of the Piedmont Community Band, which organized in February.
Under the direction of Kenneth Cranford, the band is preparing for its debut during Halifax County's 250th anniversary celebrations early next month.
The band's first performance is Thursday evening, May 9, when the Town of Halifax presents its sesquibicentennial festivities. The group will play several marches and patriotic songs on the courthouse lawn.
The Piedmont Community Band will make its next appearance on Saturday, May 11 at Constitution Square in downtown South Boston. Its performance is scheduled for six o'clock that evening at the bandstand.
Rehearsals have reached a fever pitch as the volunteers get ready for their premiere performances. This week, the band will gather on Thursday evening, April 25, at the Halifax County High School band room from 7 to 8:45.
Other practices are set for Sunday afternoon, April 28 from 2 to 4, and Saturday morning, May 4, from 10 a.m. to noon. Both of those rehearsals are at the high school.
There is a change in location for the final rehearsal, which will be held Sunday, May 5th, from 2 to 4 p.m. at Halifax County Middle School.
Band members and volunteers have been busily trying to repair instruments, replace parts, and borrow what they can to make music.
"Saxophonist John Sibley has been tireless in his efforts to fix some old instruments," says conductor Cranford. "He has also been instrumental in recruiting players." Of course, it doesn't hurt that Sibley's wife, Jane, and one of his daughters are in the band, too.
"We're a small group, and we're volunteers," Cranford said. "But we have most of the parts covered most of the time. From Liz Weingarten on piccolo to Andy Rice on tuba, we're blessed with some very dedicated musicians."
Scheduling has been a problem, though. Cranford says part of the solution has been to hold rehearsals on Thursday nights, Saturday mornings, and Sunday afternoons.
"We usually don't practice more than once a week, but we chose the different times and days so more people who wanted to could participate," Cranford explained.
For instance, young bassoonist Farley Will plays soccer and is involved in 4-H and many other activities, so he's had to miss some rehearsals. However, his love for music and the bassoon keep him coming to rehearsals when he can.
Two of the band's members are high-ranking county officials who are tied up in budget talks and other official business. "County Administrator Joe Morgan and Board of Supervisors Chairman David Martin have been most supportive," Cranford said. Morgan plays the flute and Martin is a drummer.
Some area music teachers have also been important to the group, Cranford said. "It's a delight having Emily Farley on clarinet and Middle School band director Kenny Fears on percussion." He added that high school band director Martha Stevens has been very helpful and accommodating.
"She has made sure we had a place to practice, access to instruments, and she has loaned us music to play," remarked Cranford, who also thanked county school administrators and High School Principal Albert Randolph for being helpful.
"We're just hoping that, after all this time and energy, the public will appreciate what we're doing," Cranford said.
On May 9 and 11, they'll find out.

Thomas Carlton Loftis

Thomas Carlton Loftis, 76, of Wilmington, DE, died April 21 in Christiana Hospital, Newark, DE.
Mr. Loftis was born in South Boston on August 11, 1925, the son of Mr. and Mrs. Thomas H. Loftis and was married to Esther O. Loftis. He served in the US Navy during WWII and was owner of Pleasant Valley Enterprises in DE.
In addition to his wife, survivors include two sons, John A. Murray Jr. of Charlotte, NC and Thomas C. Loftis Jr.; and one daughter, Dianne L. Smith, both of Newark; 11 grandchildren; eight great-grandchildren; one brother, Keith Loftis of South Boston; three sisters, Edith Childress of Richmond, Margaret Cole of South Boston and Elsie Carter of Danville.
Funeral services for Mr. Loftis will be held April 26 at 1:30 p.m. at Doherty Funeral Home in Wilmington. Burial will be in Gracelawn Memorial Park, New Castle, DE.
The family will receive friends April 25 from 6 until 8 p.m. at the funeral home.
Those wishing to give memorials are asked to consider Limestone Presbyterian Church, 3201 Limestone Rd., Wilmington, 19808, or the American Cancer Society, 92 Read's Way, New Castle, 19720.

Mary Jane Owen

Ms. Mary Jane Owen of 711 Leasburg Road, Roxboro, N.C., died April 21, at her residence at the age of 42.
Ms. Owen was born in Halifax County on February 8, 1960, and was the daughter of Mrs. Earnestine Bailey Owen Hill and the late Mr. Charlie Junior Owen. She was a member of the Owens Grove Baptist Church.
Ms. Owen is survived by a daughter, Ms.Shamara Peaks of Spring Valley, N.Y.; her mother, Mrs. Earnestine Hill of Roxboro, N.C.; four sisters, Mrs. Darlene Winstead of Roxboro, N.C., Ms. Wanda Owen of Virginia Beach, Ms. Cecilla Walton of Roxboro, N.C. and Mrs. Sarah Pumphrey of South Boston; six brothers, Jason Bailey, Charlie Owen and Wayne Walton, all of south Boston, Lindwood Bailey of Hopewell, Lindwood Walton of Danville and Vincent Walton of Georgia; and a host of nieces, nephews, other relatives and friends.
Funeral services for Ms. Owen will be held Friday, April 26, at 2 p.m. at the chapel of Jeffress Funeral Home with the Rev. John T. Hubbard officiating. Burial will follow in the Walton Family Cemetery.
The family is receiving friends at the Chapel of Jeffress Funeral Home on Thursday evening from 7 until 8 p.m. and at all other times at the home of Roy and Darlene Winstead, 711 Leasburg Rd., Roxboro, N.C.
Arrangements are by Jeffress Funeral Home, North Main Street, South Boston.