Growing organically
In an organic tobacco program, sunflowers serve as a trap crop for beneficial insects.
Last year, the US state of Virginia’s organic farms certified by the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) produced certified-organic tobacco valued at $18.5 million, according to a story by Jeff Clabaugh for WTOP Radio and citing the USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service.
Tobacco accounted for 33 percent of the state’s organically-produced commodities.
The number of certified-organic farms increased by 26 or 19 percent in 2015.
