The top 10 sugarbeet growers for Sidney Sugars Inc., in Sidney, Mont., were announced by Russ Fullmer, ag manager at Sidney Sugars.
These producers reside in the Yellowstone Valley District and are both northeastern, central eastern Montana and northwestern North Dakota growers.
“We honor the top 10 growers each year for the great job of growing beets,” Fullmer said. “They are the cream of the crop for that crop year.”
Top sugarbeet growers for Sidney Sugars and members of their family or operation that help in the growing of the beets includes: Gary Lapp, Duane Lapp, Larry Tveit Jr., Brad Tveit, Nolan Tveit, James Asbeck, Jason Rau, Del Nollmeyer; Terry Cayko, Dirk Schlothauer, Brandon Johnson, Cassey Johnson, Scott Flynn, Walt Prevost, D.J. Rice, Dan Rice and George Rice.
Fullmer said both the company and the recipients are very proud of the award. The top 10 grower award started in 1985 and continues today, he added.
Last year was a challenging one for producers, according to Fullmer.
“Last summer was a mixed bag. The spring was cool as was most of the summer,” he said, adding the regional sugarbeet crop was hit with several hail storms covering “about 50 percent of the crop.”
“September was very warm and the beets grew at a rapid pace,” Fullmer said.
But while this rapid pace helped the tons per acre, it hurt the sugar percentage at harvest time, he added.
Growers averaged around 28.5 tons per acre in the Sidney, Mont., region, which was higher than expected. However, sugar content was lower than normal years, Fullmer said.
“On average, the sugarbeet sugar content was 16.57 percent,” he said, which is way below the average of around 18 percent.
Fullmer added that Sidney Sugars appreciates its growers and all the work they do to bring in the annual sugarbeet crop.
Source: www.theprairiestar.com