11/14/07 Record tonnage from sugarbeet harvest

Growers in the Amalgamated Sugar Company cooperative have all but wrapped up the harvest this year. GRANT "Probably one of the longest harvest seasons that we've had in recent memory anyway." That's Magic Valley grower Duane Grant who says rain in October, nearly two inches worth, slowed the beet harvest in the Murtaugh area. Amalgamated's John Schoor says nearly 180 thousand acres of beets were harvested; 90 percent of that was in Idaho, the rest in eastern Oregon and southeastern Washington. SCHOOR "We have a good yielding year this year. They're going to be above last year so the final data, I don't have that right now but it looks to be better than tonnage last year." The warm weather late in the season helped to increase the tonnage. This crop is expected to bring average yields of close to 34 tons per acre which would shatter the record set last year at 31.7 tons to the acre. Schoor says sugar content is down somewhat this year. Processing is underway at three Amalgamated plants in Twin Falls, Paul and Nampa. The three factories are operating 24 hours a day and will be that way for several more months. Now that the harvest is over the growers can plan for next year and something different, Roundup Ready beets. That part of the story tomorrow. Today's Idaho Ag News Bill Scott