The Sidney Sugars Top 10 luncheon was held Jan. 20 at the Elks Lodge in Sidney, Mont.
A year in review, Agriculture Manager Duane Peters congratulated beet growers on their very successful year and discussed some of the challenges growers overcame in different areas.
It was dry in the North, requiring lots of irrigation and hailstorms came through the same area as much as three times. Late May frosts required a few areas to have to replant as did springtail parasites, and damaging winds in July tipped eleven pivots and caused three booms to be replaced.
But, despite all the challenges, by June 30, 2015, there was a 28.3 tons per acre (TPA) prediction and as the season progressed, crops looked good with the beet tops beginning to yellow in mid-August as nitrogen disappeared and sugar set in. It was a dry harvest and the pile grounds were shut down at one point because root temperature was climbing above 55 degrees.
Those who received Top 10 recognition with 50-312 acres are Tveit Land & Cattle Co ., Conradsen Brothers Inc ., Lee Roy Schmierer Farms Inc ., DKS Farms Inc ., and Nollmeyer Farms was named number one grower with 263 acres, 40.07 TPA, 19.25% sugar, and a rating of 35.28.
Top 10 Growers with more than 313 acres were McPherson Farms, Triple H Farms, Rice & Sons Inc ., Triple C Farms Inc ., and Tibbetts Agland which was named number one with 472 acres, 37.34 TPA, 19.27% sugar, and a 34.21 rating.
Source: www.roundupweb.com