News-Argus/Bobby Williams

Rodrimiro Angel Bravo operates a harvester Monday in a tobacco field owned by Tony Jones off N.C. 55 west of Mount Olive. Jones was one of the first farmers in the county to begin harvesting tobacco. Wayne farmers have planted more tobacco this year, following the end of the federal tobacco support program, which limited the amount of leaf that a farmer could grow. Most growers now have contracts with tobacco companies, instead of selling their product at auction.