INTERNATIONAL SUGAR BEET INSTITUTE TO CELEBRATE 60TH YEAR AT MARCH EVENT IN GRAND FORKS

BY JENNY SCHLECHT

The International Sugar Beet Institute celebrates its 60th year in a return to Grand Forks this March after a year off.

The event, held annually and rotated between Fargo and Grand Forks, North Dakota, features national agricultural leaders, legislators and sugar specialists. Scheduled this year for March 16-17, the show is filled with all things sugarbeet related.

The show was not held in 2021, when it was scheduled to be at the Fargodome, due to COVID-19 prevention precautions.

The show runs from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on March 16 and 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. on March 17 and will include a sugarbeet-focused trade show and keynote addresses both days from Luther Markwart, executive vice president of the American Sugarbeet Growers Association, and Rob Johansson, director of economics and policy analysis for the American Sugar Alliance.

Markwart has been the executive vice president of the American Sugarbeet Growers Association since 1982. In addition to his current role, he has served as the executive vice president of the Farmers and Manufacturers Beet Sugar Association in Michigan, as an advisor to federal agencies that have impacts on the domestic sugar industry and trade, chairman of the American Sugar Alliance for seven terms, co-chairman of the Sugar Industry Biotechnology Council for 18 years, a member of the Agriculture CEO Council since 2018, president of the Commodity Club of Washington, D.C., in 199697, president of the New York “Sugar Club” in 2005-06 and as a contributor to sugarbeet trade magazines.

Johansson serves as the director of economics and policy analysis for the American Sugar Alliance, the national coalition

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“It is an honor to lead such a talented group of farmers," Hultgren said. "The American sugarbeet industry is truly the best in the world. I’m eager to get to work on behalf of our industry.”

Rockstad of Ada, Minnesota, has served on the ASGA Board of Directors since 2015. He also serves as president of the Red River Valley Sugarbeet Growers Association. He and his wife, Elizabeth, raise wheat, soybeans and sugarbeets. The Rockstad’s have two children, Nora and Hazel.

“It’s a privilege to serve as vice-president of this important association of sugarbeet growers," Rockstad said. “Heading into a farm bill next year, I’m excited to work alongside our president, Nate Hultgren, and the rest of the industry to make sure Washington understands the importance of the domestic sugar industry to our nation.” of sugarbeet and sugarcane growers, processors, and refiners. Johansson has held positions at the Office of Management and Budget, the Congressional Budget Office and the White House Council of Economic Advisers. He served as chief economist for the U.S. Department of Agriculture, where he was responsible for agricultural forecasts and advised the secretary of agriculture on programs, regulations and legislative proposals. At USDA, he also was chairman of the Federal Crop Insurance Corporation Board of Directors and was responsible for setting up the Farm Production and Conservation mission area. At the American Sugar Alliance, Johansson analyzes sugar supply and demand fundamentals, domestic and foreign sugar and agricultural policies, including Farm Bill topics and international trade negotiations.

The American Sugarbeet Growers Association represents approximately 10,000 growers in all 11 producing states.

The Red River Valley Sugarbeet Museum also will have items from the history of the sugarbeet industry on display at the show.

This year's ISBI committee includes Kyle Aasand, Maureen Abol, Cody Bakker, Wayne Formo, Craig Halfmann, Duane Hanson, Joe Hastings, Mohamed Khan, Katelyn Landeis, Michael Lundberg, Mike Metzger, Randy Nelson, Thomas Peters, Theodore Peterson, Nick Revier, Jason Schatzke, Jenny Schlecht, Kirsten Stibbe, Kevin Thorsness and Harrison Weber.