The University of Kentucky has a long history of research and development on conservation tillage methods for row crop production. Kentucky farmers were among the first in the world to adopt conservation tillage for large scale corn and soybean production. Research on conservation tillage for burley tobacco production was begun in the early 1970's, yet tobacco growers had little interest until recently. Adoption of conservation tillage for tobacco has been slowed by growers' reluctance to abandon traditional production methods, a lack of appropriate transplanter technology, concerns about weed control, and more recently uncertainty about future production levels. Research on conservation tillage for tobacco was resumed in the mid 1990s and has led to the development of new ideas for transplanters, weed control strategies, and cover crop management. Results of individual studies will be presented to demonstrate the development of recommendations and guidelines that are being used by tobacco growers as they consider conservation tillage. Grower interest in these practices has been gradually increasing over the last five years. A survey of grower practices used in 2003 estimated that just over 400 ha of burley tobacco was grown in Kentucky using conservation tillage practices. The same survey in 2004 reported that over 3000 ha of burley tobacco was grown under conservation tillage. The rate of adoption of conservation tillage practices is expected to accelerate with the end of the U. S. tobacco program and the consolidation of tobacco production on fewer farms.