Auctions being held at historic tobacco warehouse for first time in nearly 10 years

A historic tobacco warehouse in central Kentucky is getting new life.

There have been eight auctions at Peoples Tobacco Warehouse in Danville since the facility was renovated, according to The Advocate-Messenger (http://bit.ly/stKKAa). It's the first time the warehouse has been used in almost 10 years.

Jerry Rankin, who is leasing the building, says growers have traveled from Virginia, Ohio and Indiana to participate in the auctions.

Independent auction houses have dwindled in Kentucky since the 2004 federal tobacco buyout and the loss of price supports. The auctions once attracted more than 20 million pounds of leaf to Danville. This year, Rankin says the total could reach about 3.5 million pounds.

The only other independent auctions in the state that he is aware of will happen in Lexington, Mount Sterling and Maysville.

Many tobacco growers got out of the business, opting to grow crops like corn and soybeans. Others now sell directly to tobacco companies.

Rankin said about 2 million pounds of tobacco has been sold at Peoples and another local tobacco warehouse.