A grower in southern California’s Imperial Valley growing region has set a new yield record with a Betaseed variety.
In 2019, Baja Farms, using Betaseed 5460 in a 73-acre field, averaged 80.69 tons per acre with a sugar content of 16.31 percent, which produced 22,378 pounds of recoverable sugar per acre.
World records are not new to Betaseed, nor to Baja Farms. In 2011, Baja Farms, using Betaseed 4521R in a 70-acre field, averaged 78.71 tons per acre with 15.89 percent sugar content—making 2019 Baja Farms’ second new world record.
Ben Abatti, Jr. and wife Judy—along with sons Braden and Ben III, have been farming at Baja Farms for 44 years. Among the many different crops on their 4,500-acre farm, including alfalfa, wheat, carrots, thyme and parsley, they grow 1,200 acres of sugarbeets.
“Thanks to the plant breeders and all others at Betaseed,” says Ben Abatti, Jr. “Their varieties are keeping Baja Farms in business.”
Ben Abatti, Jr., center, who operates Baja Farms with his sons Braden and Ben III, recently accepted an award for setting the world record for recoverable sugar per acre.
