CONNECT CONSUMERS TO THE FARM

On Sept. 28-30, 2021, the Sugar Association, together with the American Crystal Sugar Company and the Red River Valley Sugarbeet Growers Association, held their first “Farm to Table” tour for seven social media influencers from across the United States.

The main goal of the tour was to demystify where sugar comes from and humanize the sugar industry to these influential experts, according to Dr. Courtney Gaine, the president and CEO of the Sugar Association.

“We know that consumers want to know where their food comes from, yet we’ve learned through research that only a third of consumers know that sugar comes from plants,” Gaine said. “We wanted to give social media influencers in the categories of lifestyle, wellness and diet the opportunity to meet some of the passionate, hardworking farm families of the American sugarbeet industry. Bringing them to the Red River Valley was a way to tangibly show folks the real sugar story and have them experience it firsthand. The goal was that they would remember their experience and share it when they feel it’s appropriate.”

The Sugar Association is the scientific voice of the United States sugar industry. It works to support responsible scientific research and share credible research and information to increase consumer understanding and confidence of the role that sugar plays in a nutritious and balanced diet.

When planning the tour, the Sugar Association looked for social media influencers who are open-minded and credible, passionate about education, and have a balanced approach to diet and lifestyle.

“We had six dietitians and one chef on the tour, and only one had been to North Dakota before,” Gaine said. “We wanted to show them all of the exciting technology that goes into farming sugarbeets and have them feel emotionally invested in this industry.”

The three-day tour kicked off on Sept. 28 with an educational presentation by the Sugar Association, the American Crystal Sugar Company and the RRVSGA. On Sept. 29, the influencers visited 157

“It was 90 degree weather on the day of the tour, but I think everyone had an amazing time. I know I did,” said Gaine. “While the fields are beautiful, the tractors fun to ride and the factory impressive, it was the people on the

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 6 ground that made it so special. We are so grateful to all of the time given by so many people to ensure that our guests had an incredible experience.”

The tour was the first visit to a sugarbeet farm for social media influencer and registered dietitian Rosanne Rust of Venice, Florida.

“I’ve visited vegetable farms, an apple farm, and dairy, beef and pork productions, but the only factory experience I’d had before this was an apple storage and processing plant,” Rust said.

Rust, a registered dietitian who holds a Master of Science in nutrition degree from the University of Pittsburgh, has over 30 years of experience working in a variety of settings. She currently works as to high school students across America so they understand what it takes to get food to the table.”

Rust’s passion is presenting science and facts to her social media followers and dispelling myths about what consumers perceive as “controversial” ingredients.

“I believe that all foods can fit into a healthy diet, and there should be no guilt or fear associated with eating,” she said.

“I’ve been known to say, ‘I have a sweet tooth but I don’t sugarcoat.’”

After participating in the tour, Rust said she enjoyed seeing the sugarbeets go from field to factory and is excited to share the total loop from farm to table with her social media followers.

“One of the most interesting things I learned is that sugar is completely extracted from the sugarbeet plant and that is all done under one factory roof, rather than at multiple locations. Seeing the whole process helps connect the dots to the ‘where does food come from’ story. I also want them to understand more about all the people — from farmers to engineers — who work to bring us food and ingredients,” she said. “I also think that the science of farming and the manufacturing part of the story is really important right now, too. Kids and young adults need to know that there are scientists and engineers in the food industry that bring food to life.”