Support of the French tobacco sector in its strip-tillage, harvesting mechanization projects, curing, and stripping of Burley tobacco

ARVALIS is the agency in France which promotes and assists growers in production of grain crops and other commodities, including tobacco. ARVALIS seeks the assistance of Dr. Larry Wells, Professor Emeritus, Department of Biosystems and Agricultural Engineering, in transferring labor-saving technology for harvesting and marketing burley tobacco. Dr. Wells agrees to perform the work as described below. 1. Cooperate and advise in determining feasibility of a new high-capacity system for processing air-cured burley tobacco. 2. Cooperate and advise in determining feasibility of the strip-tillage method for tobacco production in France. 3. Organize consultation with tobacco plant breeders at the University of Kentucky regarding developments of new tobacco varieties. 4. Organize a visit of a French delegation to a tobacco stemmery in the U.S. a) Cooperate on evaluation of a new concept for reducing the cost of curing racks for a mechanical burley harvesting system.