Heat Delays in Sugarbeet Harvest

Warm temperatures have delayed the sugar beet harvest, but as temperatures start to cool, the outlook is promising. Jack Briedenback, President of the Colorado Sugar Beet Growers Association, talks about this year's sugar beet crop for growers in the Western Sugar Cooperative territories.

Conditions have been real good- little bit. On the warm side, we've had some harvest delays because of the heat. We need to have the beat temp below 50 degrees. So we've been starting like at four in the morning, a lot of mornings, and going only till noon, because the beat temp has to be below 50 degrees. And we've got some estimated yields. Nebraska is estimated to have a 31-ton-per-acre crop with 18.9 sugar, which is an excellent crop. In Colorado, estimated yield is 32 and a half tons per acre with an 18.3 sugar content, which is an excellent crop.

And in the northern part of the US,

"Our Western Sugar Co-Op on our North growing areas in Billings Montana, and they've got a good crop going up there with about a night 32-ton crop with an 18-seven sugar. And our other growing area up in the Lovell Wyoming area, which is in northeast Wyoming, 29.5 ton with a 19.2 sugar, which is a real good crop too."

And Briedenback says he expects solid prices.