The following proposals have been made to alleviate the economic impacts of declining cigarette consumption on producers and quota owners. These proposals are separate from, but generally assume, the passage of the global tobacco settlement or similar legislation. Industry workers would receive assistance and higher education grants would be available for tobacco farm families. The tobacco program is left intact. Community economic development block grants are included in the bill.
Assistance is available for tobacco farmers, industry workers, and tobacco dependent communities.
Assistance is available to displaced industry workers, and economic development grants for tobacco dependent communities. Community development and education grants are similar to the Ford bill. Tobacco growers would receive annual nontransferable tobacco marketing licenses. Leaf prices would fall by the value of the quota rent rate since licenses would not be transferable. These proposals affect tobacco producers differently.