Through the Tobacco Leaders Program, PM USA and USSTC support growers innovating to lower production costs and promote sustainable agriculture. The companies also support pilot programs and research in tobacco-growing regions such as:

Farming mechanization/production innovation – developing equipment to reduce growers' production costs and their need for hand labor;
Tobacco curing efficiency – developing new curing methods that reduce the growers' cost of production and reduce negative environmental impact;
Seed variety of research – developing new tobacco seed varieties to promote sustainable agriculture;
Contracting models – developing new tobacco-buying contracts that address grower sustainability issues such as a term of a contract, volume, and on-farm infrastructure;
Universities & agricultural extension programs – educating tobacco growers about safety and crop management; and
Educational scholarships – supporting tobacco grower families as an investment in the future of tobacco production.