Tobacco farming has deep roots in Norfolk County, and for the DeCarlis family, it’s more than a business—it’s a legacy.
Brothers Anthony and Milano DeCarlis of DeCarlis Farming Corp. are fourth-generation tobacco growers, continuing a tradition that has been part of their family and community for decades.
A typical harvest day in 2025 is a mix of tradition and technology. Crews begin work at dawn, driving mechanized harvesters through the fields to fill kilns with fresh tobacco. Others empty and strip the dried leaves, grading and packaging them for sale. What was once a back-breaking, hand-picking job for dozens of workers has now evolved into a highly mechanized process, making efficiency and safety the focus.
Despite the tobacco buyout and diversification in Canadian agriculture, the DeCarlis family has stayed the course. They currently grow about 250 acres of tobacco, making it one of the more lucrative crops in Southern Ontario. While smoking has declined in Canada, tobacco remains a global commodity, with Canadian-grown leaves often shipped to Mexico, the Middle East, and beyond.
For the DeCarlis family, farming is both heritage and livelihood. While fewer farms remain dedicated solely to tobacco, the DeCarlis brothers say they’re proud to keep that piece of Norfolk’s agricultural story alive.