For veteran Bird Island, Minn., farmer Keith McNamara, sugar beet farming dates back into the 1980s. However, he recalls in the 1960s and early 1970s when his father, Larry, would haul his beets to a processing facility at Chaska, Minn. After that plant’s demise, Larry and other Minnesota beet farmers would haul to a rail-car siding in Bird Island for railroad delivery to sugar beet processing facility on the north edge of Mason City, Iowa.
Fast-forward to the May 1973 construction start of the huge Southern Minnesota Beet Sugar Company facility at Renville, Minn. Larry was a charter board member of the new co-op. In 1975 nearly 50,000 acres of beets were planted by 400 farmers in 12 west-central Minnesota counties. That 1975 crop produced 768,000 tons of sugar beets.
Since that time, continual improvements and additions have increased grower base to 465 shareholders and 100,000 shares. SMBSC has also made many economic contributions over the years. Currently, there are nearly 500 shareholders with operations in 17 counties. The largest sugar beet plant in the United States employs 350 full-time and 450 seasonal workers. SMBSC produces enough sugar for 12.5 million people.
I visited with Keith on Oct. 9 as he monitored his fleet of 10 semi rigs being field-loaded by a huge German-built machine. The unit gathered beets from a half-mile long berm of freshly-harvested beets on the west end of a 180-acre sugar beet field. For us newcomers to such a scene, I mostly just marveled this new system. Beets get field loaded and delivered directly to the processing plant.
This is actually how the beet crop is routinely handled in Germany where fields are smaller. They don’t use piling sites located in various parts of their sugar beet production areas. If SMBSC were to adopt this system it could justify a significant reduction in manpower and equipment.
“We’ve been reviewing this system since about 2012,” admitted SMBSC Vice President of Agriculture Todd Geselius. “We’ve looked at different ways, but still haven’t found the best way that works for us. We did not use it that past two years when we had smaller crops. But when we did have larger crops we used as a way to mitigate how many tons were going into our various piling sites. This year we are sending these loads directly here to the factory.”
“But that created other problems because we eliminated ‘management pile’ techniques in the process. So we’re trying to find a different way to utilize the machine. So this year we’re putting these beets into long-term storage piles to see how they store. If they store, that opens some new possibilities. When field-loaded such as from the Mehlhouse field, the beets are quite clean. This year’s harvest is uniquely good in that respect.”
Called a ReLoader machine, the Germany-based company manufacturing this particular machine is HOMER. Geselius noted other companies make similar machines. “A more commonly-known name is ROPA. These companies also make self-propelled harvesters and other big equipment.”
With semi rigs being loaded at the end of this field, isn’t there a fair amount of soil compaction occurring?
“Sure, if soils were wet this would be a concern,” explained Geselius. “You can’t avoid compaction when you’re running loaded beet trucks over the same portion of a field. But with the extremely favorable weather conditions for this harvest — plus remarkably dry soils — it’s a lesser issue this year.”
Nonetheless, grower Ron Mehlhouse was using a big 4WD tractor and vertical tillage machine on this compacted area as soon as the semi rigs departed the field.
Geselius was reluctant to predict how big the 2020 sugar beet crop will be. “I’d rather not put a number out today,” he said. “We’ll know in about three weeks when this harvest season will be pretty much wrapped up, assuming no weather interruptions. Yes, lots of good yields out there. I can’t predict a record, but it will be close.”
Geselius added SMBSC growers planted about 121, 500 acres this season. He said there were a few drowned-out spots, but he figures about 119,000 acres will be harvested. And good sugar content too. “The last few days sugar contents have been quite good … helped by this great sunshine and favorable temps. It looks like we’re going to average about 17 percent when all done.”
The SMBSC processing facility located east side of Renville has the appetite to handle a big harvest. “When we’re clipping along we can do about 16,000 tons per hour,” said Geselius. And if growers averaged 30 tons per acre you can do the arithmetic on total tonnage to be processed. That transcends into about 223 days (mid-April) processing campaign without disruptive slowdowns.
Summed up Geselius, “It’s so refreshing to not have to deal with mud. I’m speaking for our entire staff, for all are great workers in the factory, and I’m certain for every one of our growers, we’re very appreciative of how things have gone so far this campaign. Yes, it’s very fitting to say our good Lord has favored us mightily.”
Keith McNamara was also pleased with the 2020 crop. “Yes indeed, this is a good harvest. Beets are lifting clean and sugar content is coming up. However, we’re starting to plateau so it’s time to finish harvest.”
MCNamara was reluctant to speculate whether you could pick up a point of sugar content by delaying harvest a few days. “A point of sugar is a lot,” he hedged. “It’s hard to know when the beet starts dehydrating in the field. Once the beet reaches that stage, you’re at the plateau where you have the reverse of water and sugar content. Right now our beets are mostly at the 17 percent content … and that’s respectively good. Sure, can always hope for more, but this already looks like the best in the past five years.”
And he’s content if his 2020 crop averages 30 tons per acre. “Back when my Dad grew beets 20 tons was a good average. With today’s costs and pricing of our beets, 30 tons is acceptable.”
Like most beet growers, McNamara is keenly aware of sugar markets nationally; and into export areas as well. “We’re a net importer of sugar,” he told me. “We’re the only country that does not export. So our U.S. sugar beet industry is based on quota. Seventy-seven percent of our nation’s total sugar needs are grown domestically by we beet growers and our sugar cane growers in our southern states.
“All exporting countries are allowed a quota as to how much sugar they can export into our country. This is subject to yearly revisions depending upon world productions and continually changing market demands for sugar. However, thanks to our USDA farm bill which puts some stability into yearly revenues for we producers. Without the protection of our farm bill, the wild gyrations of these world sugar markets would likely drive many of us into bankruptcy.”
McNamara said he would like to see a repeat of this season in 2021. “This needs to be the new normal,” he stated. “We have genetic potential to reach 40-ton yields. Recall when 300-bushel corn was the ambition? This year some fields in Renville County pushed that figure. The point being, with the increasing costs of growing beets, you have to anticipate higher yields on a consistent basis down the road. And that’s why domestic protection of the USDA Sugar Program is an absolute must!”
“Agriculture needs support at all angles. We need unity regardless of who is in office. We need to remind our consumers that they have the broadest array of foods of any country. It’s a God-given gift. We’ve been afforded the right to eat. Let’s keep policies in place that continue the opportunity for we farmers to provide this abundance.”