Sugarbeet growers were blazing across their fields last week trying to finish planting their beet crop. Most states are done or are close to done planting with just one still working to get past 50 percent.
The weekly planting report from the most recent USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service report (dated May 21 and May 22 and for the week ending May 20) shows sugarbeet planting progress.
Going west to east across the United States here’s what the report states:
Washington – No report was given.
Oregon - The sugarbeet crop has been in for weeks now and last week the NASS report showed 99 percent of the beets emerged.
California – Growers in California plant in the fall and harvest the following year. Growers there planted 18,000 acres last fall.
Idaho - The state’s sugarbeet growers are done planting the 2023 crop and this week’s NASS shows 82 percent of the beets have emerged. That’s compared to 51 percent last week and 71 percent a year ago at this time.
Wyoming - Wyoming growers are nearly complete with their planting with 94 percent of the crop now in. That’s compared to 72 percent the week prior. A year ago at this time 97 percent had been planted. The five-year average for this time of year is 96 percent.
Montana - Growers in Montana are edging toward the 50 percent planting figure with 39 percent of their beet crop now in. That’s markedly up from 14 percent that was planted last week. A year ago that percentage was 33 percent while the five-year average is 75 percent.
Colorado – Colorado growers again made huge gains in their planting with 80 percent of the sugarbeet crop now in, up from 51 percent the week before. A year ago, 86 percent of the beet crop was in. The five-year average is 91 percent. Of what’s been planted, 24 percent has emerged.
Nebraska – No report was given.
North Dakota – North Dakota growers also made significant gains this past week. 90 percent of the crop has been planted, compared to 60 percent the week before. That is well ahead of the 21 percent that was planted at this point a year ago. The five-year average is 79 percent.
Minnesota – Minnesota growers are nearly complete with their beet planting as well with 94 percent of the crop in. That’s up from 75 percent a week ago. A year ago at this time that number was 24 percent. The five-year average is 78 percent.
Michigan – The beet crop is nearly all in in Michigan with 97 percent of the beet crop planted, up from 95 percent a week ago. A year ago, 96 percent of the crop was in while the five-year average is 93 percent.