32

The Priming Gang
1980

33

In the 1960's era when large factories guaranteed steady employment, tobacco farms relied on transit workers from Quebec, Southern United States and foreign labour from Jamaica.

34

Third Generation in Tobacco
August 2006
Bothwell, Ontario, Canada

35

Local high school students also worked the summer harvest giving them the opportunity to earn money. With harvest proceeding past the first week of September when school officially started, the School Boards needed to change their policy about absentees, thus creating a problem for the tobacco farmer to find a replacement for the last few weeks of harvest.

36

Sled for Bulk Kiln

37

Today, the federal government's Temporary Foreign Worker Program brings in farm workers from Mexico, Jamaica and Trindad. Farmers have to pay airfare, visa fees and housing costs. They are also responsible for worker's compensation, provincial health insurance, Canada Pension Plan, income tax and Employment insurance deductions.

38

Immigrant Workers from Jamaica
September 2008
Bothwell, Ontario, Canada

Credits:
Courtesy of Bothwell-Zone & District Historical Society

39

Migrant workers past and present spend a fair proportion of their wages locally, helping the economy for the Bothwell merchants. Some migrate workers have notably returned to the same farm for 26 years in the Bothwell area, becoming a part of the communal diversity.

40

Kiln
August 2008
Bothwell, Ontario, Canada

Credits:
Courtesy of Bothwell-Zone & District Historical Society

41

In Bothwell, as in other parts of the tobacco-belt growing regions, the tobacco farms have dwindled to a mere few. Many farmers, with small growing rights, sold the rights to larger growers in the 1980s when selling the rights to grow was allowed.

42

These farmers found it not profitable to continue growing or to up grade growing methods with restricted acreage (pounds) allotted to grow. Other ceased growing tobacco but put to use their required skills to greenhouse production of vegetable seedlings and specialty items: example poinsettias; bring new business to Bothwell's economy.

43

Cigarette Advertisement
1970's

Credits:
Courtesy of Bothwell-Zone & District Historical Society

44

In 2008, due to the social attitudes towards the use of tobacco, political pressures and high tariffs, the market under the system established under The Ontario Flue-Cured Tobacco Growers' Marketing Board came to an end. Farmers who still grow tobacco now enter into a contractual agreement directly with the tobacco companies.

45

A Fading Memory
May 2008
Bothwell, Ontario, Canada

Credits:
Courtesy of Bothwell-Zone & District Historical Society