The weekly planting report from the most recent USDA National Agricultural Statistics report (dated May 7 and May 8 and for the week ending May 6) shows sugarbeet planting has finished or is close to being finished in a handful of states with other states in various stages of nearing completion. Other states in the Midwest are just getting going.
Going west to east across the United States here’s what the report states:
Washington – No report was given.
Oregon - The sugarbeet crop is now in with 78 percent of the beets emerged in the state. That’s up from 25 percent a week ago.
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 nearly done planting the 2023 crop as the NASS shows 95 percent of the beets in. That’s up from 71 percent the week before. Last year at this point, 94 percent of the crop was in. The five-year average for this time of year is 92 percent.
Wyoming - Wyoming growers made impressive gains this past week. The NASS reports 55 percent of the beet crop is now planted, compared to 28 percent the week prior. A year ago at this time 58 percent had been planted. The five-year average for this time of year is 62 percent.
Montana - Interestingly enough, 7 percent of the sugarbeet crop has been planted in the state, the same percentage as the NASS showed last week. A year ago that percentage was 4 percent while the five-year average is 39 percent.
Colorado – Colorado growers are gaining ground with their planting with 30 percent of the sugarbeet crop now in, up from 13 percent the week before. A year ago, 44 percent of the beet crop was in. The five-year average is 61 percent.
Nebraska – No report was given.
North Dakota – According to the NASS, 1 percent of the beet crop has been planted, compared to none the week before. At this point a year ago, 2 percent of the crop had been planted. The five-year average is 44 percent.
Minnesota – Minnesota is faring a little better than its neighbor as reports show 23 percent of the beets have been planted as of the report. That’s up from none a week ago. A year ago at this time that number was 7 percent. The five-year average is 45 percent.
Michigan – 85 percent of the beet crop has been planted, up from 76 percent a week ago. A year ago, 33 percent of the crop was in while the five-year average is 65 percent.