The Sugarbeet Grower Magazine January 2013 by Forum Communications Printing

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‘Serving The Nation’s Sugarbeet Community Since 1963’ Volume 52 Number 1 January 2013

Page 16

Sugar Publications 4601 16th Ave. N. Fargo, ND 58102 Phone: (701) 476-2111 Fax: (701) 476-2182 E-Mail: sugar@forumprinting.com Web Site: www.sugarpub.com Publisher: Sugar Publications General Manager & Editor: Don Lilleboe Advertising Manager: Heidi Wieland (701) 476-2003 Graphics: Forum Communications Printing

The Sugarbeet Grower is published six times annually (January, February, March, April/May, July/August, November/December) by Sugar Publications, a division of Forum Communications Printing. North American sugarbeet producers receive the magazine on a complimentary basis. Annual subscription rates are $12.00 domestic and $18.00 for foreign subscribers. Advertising in The Sugarbeet Grower does not necessarily imply endorsement of a particular product or service by the publisher.

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www.sugarpub.com http://www.facebook.com/SugaPub https://twitter.com/sugarpub THE SUGARBEET GROWER January 2013

Page 4

— Feature Articles — 2012 Crop Year Review . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 26th annual summary encompasses all areas

Planting Ante Up to 48 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16 RRV farm puts in crop with three 48-row planters

Managing Beet Diseases in the Central Great Plains 20 Nebraska plant pathologist’s series of reminders

— Regular Pages —

— Front Cover —

Dateline: Washington . . . . . . . . . . 12 Farm bill, biotech & crop insurance

Most sugarbeet areas were blessed with a very productive season in 2012. Our annual crop summary begins on page 4.

30 Years Ago . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13 Excerpts from the January 1983 issue Write Field . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14 Relax & Count Blessings

Around the Industry . . . . . . . . . . . 22 Who, what & where it’s happening

USDA’s November estimate of 2012 U.S. sugarbeet production was nearly 35 million tons. An updated estimate comes out in mid-January. Photo: Don Lilleboe 3

2012 Crop Year Review Photo: Don Lilleboe / Western Sugar Cooperative, Scottsbluff, Neb.

Reports from All North American Beet Regions

Amalgamated Sugar Company

American Crystal Sugar Company

The 2012 crop year set several records for the Amalgamated Sugar Company, LLC. The first was a record per-acre yield of 35.5 tons, as compared to last year’s previous record yield of 34.7 tons. Total tons harvested set another record at more than 6.9 million tons. Sugar content looked to be above average, but an early October hard frost set the sugar so that average sugar content was at 16.98% — just barely higher than last year’s sugar content of 16.94%. Early spring plantings were damaged by high winds and frosts in the eastern part of Idaho. There were more than 24,000 acres of replants out of 122,000 acres planted. Stand counts were lower than in 2011. The western districts of the production region did not have as many replants. Water was plentiful, and the growing season was hot in the western areas. Insect and disease pressure was low to average across the region. A lot of things can happen to a crop of beets; but enough “right things” happened in the 2012 growing season to allow production of the record crop. — John Schorr

Preparations for a record crop began with ideal fall weather in 2011, allowing for near-optimum conditions to apply fertilizer and complete tillage for excellent seedbeds in the spring of 2012. Planting began on April 10 and was 95% complete by May 1. Seedbed conditions were very good for germination and emergence in most districts. Plant populations were excellent with an average of 188 beets per 100 feet of row. Replants were only 2.8% and located primarily in the Drayton district. Most replanting was caused by high

Our 26th Crop Summary These pages contain our 26th annual sugarbeet crop summary. All current North American sugarbeet production regions are represented in the reports included here. The Sugarbeet Grower wishes to extend our sincere thanks to those individuals listed who submitted the report for their company.

winds. Roundup Ready® varieties were planted on about 96% of the acreage. Early season growth was much ahead of normal due to ideal growing degree days and good rainfall. Earliestplanted fields had the rows closed by mid-June, setting the stage for very high yields. Rainfall was well below average in the entire growing area beginning in late July and through August and September. But despite the drought, the crop rooted to eight, nine or even 10 feet deep, utilizing stored soil water very effectively to maintain growth. The drought brought some unusual pest problems that are rarely seen in our growing area. Root aphids caused serious damage in numerous fields in the drier areas. Yield losses of up to five to eight tons occurred in some fields. Root maggot populations were also high in the traditional locales of northeastern North Dakota. Root rot diseases were variable; but in general, incidence and severity were lower in 2012. Fungicide use for Rhizoctonia control has increased greatly in recent years. Aphanomyces incidence and severity were low due to dry conditions. However, Fusarium incidence was near normal, with severe yield loss when fields were not planted to resistant varieties. Rhizoctonia was

THE SUGARBEET GROWER January 2013

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also severe in many fields with a history of infection. Weed control was exceptionally good in most fields. A future concern is identification of some fields that appear to have glyphosate-resistant waterhemp and kochia present. Prepile harvest began August 14 because of expected very high yields. Crop quality was excellent for the early start date. Stockpiling began on October 2 as temperatures cooled to levels that made long-term storage of the crop acceptable. Above-average rainfall and several snows in October and November created very difficult harvest conditions. Frost shutdowns were frequent in late October and November. Harvest was completed on November 21. This was the longest harvest on record from the early prepile start to a late finish. Yield was a record 27.1 tons per acre with a record 19.14% sugar content. — Allan Cattanach

Lantic Inc. Alberta’s 2012 beet crop was an excellent reward after a tough year negotiating a contract between growers and the company. Growers harvested a total of 827,000 metric tonnes (911,502

short tons) from 30,512 acres, for an average yield of over 27 metric tonnes (29.8 short tons) per acre. The quality rivaled that of last year’s crop with the factory average sugar being 19.3%. About 120,000 tonnes (nearly 132,300 short tons) of beets are ventilated for long-term storage. The entire crop was planted to Roundup Ready sugarbeets. First planting date was April 14, and planting continued through the third week of May. A significant frost event on May 10 necessitated the replanting of close to 2,000 acres. Some early seeded fields also had poor stands, probably due to cool soil temperatures and very cool nighttime temperatures through most of April and May. Soil crusting was also an issue in some fields. The replants were completed by June 7. Early June punished the area with several hailstorms and a tornado that passed through a portion of the growing area. An estimated 4,000 acres were severely impacted by these storms, with crop damage from hail resulting in 30-100% defoliation. Wind damage was also extensive. Irrigation pivots and wheel lines were damaged in the storms. Some fields experienced extreme flooding and erosion due to

running water. Wind erosion became an issue for these hailed-out acres, and many growers cultivated in an attempt to prevent further damage. Cutworm, root maggots and beet leaf miners were all observed this season. Early season use of insecticide and seed treatments limited crop loss from these pests. Root disease was evident in some fields, perhaps more than in previous years. Throughout June and July, various storms continued to damage fields with hail, accompanied by heavy rainfall. Wet conditions affected the timing of glyphosate applications on some fields. But despite all of the weather impacts, row closure was evident in the majority of fields prior to July 1. Summer finally arrived in southern Alberta in the first weeks of July. Growers maximized crop potential using irrigation during the hot weather. Fields started looking very promising at this point in the season, and a special crop was predicted. Hot temperatures continued throughout July and August, resulting in a hectic irrigation schedule for many growers. Field staff started to suspect that the late-June yield estimates may have been conservative. Yellowing of the canopy became evident in some fields as August progressed. Harvest began on September 19. A heavy rain on October 9 slowed the harvest for a few days. More than 5.5 inches of snow fell on October 23, slowing the harvest significantly. As the snow melted, wetness became an issue in many fields. Repeated snowfalls and frost continued through the final days of October and into early November. Excessive amounts of mud caused the duration of harvest to be a real struggle for growers and piling ground staff. A few acres at a time continued to be harvested whenever conditions allowed until November 21. Huge dirt lumps and deterioration of beets due to very cold conditions dictated the end of harvest 2012, with 170 acres being left in the ground. — Vanessa Bastura

Michigan Sugar Co. What a year! “Unbelievable” is a term often used when talking about the 2012 sugarbeet crop in Michigan. It all started back on March 15 when the first field was planted. We had 98,000 acres — approximately 60% of the crop — planted under ideal conditions in March. It did not take long for the remaining acreage to be planted. By mid-April, all fields were

THE SUGARBEET GROWER January 2013

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planted and we were seeing very good emergence on the early planted beets. Historically, very few acres get planted in March and we hope to have all acres planted by late April. The month of May arrived, and the stand counts and plant populations were the “best ever.” Everyone began talking about the crop’s potential. Our normal stand count over the previous four years was 176 beets per 100 feet of row. The average this year was 209 — 20% better than our historical average. We were truly blessed with an excel-

lent start to the growing season. In June, the once “absolutely beautiful” crop was being negatively influenced by some dry soil conditions. Some fields were showing signs of moisture stress from the dry soils. Rhizoctonia was beginning to develop, and there was a concern for development of Cercospora leafspot. The dry conditions continued, for the most part, well into July, and the extreme heat added to the moisture stress. The once “unbelievable” crop was now not so pretty. On August 10, rainfall arrived with

a vengeance. There were reports of rainfall in our west district on that day of anywhere from 5.5 inches all the way to over 10. It was a bit much; but with the extremely dry conditions previously, it did not take long for the excess to run off and the crop to respond in a positive manner to the replenished soil moisture. Harvest started on August 20 at one factory site, August 27 at two other sites, and the last in Bay City on August 30. Our scheduled early delivery continued until October 20 when we opened delivery for long-term storage. Unfortunately, warm weather arrived two days later, and we were forced to stop harvest for five consecutive days. Over the five-day stretch (October 2226) the average high was 73 degrees with a record 78 degrees on October 25! We returned to harvest on October 27, only to be rained out by Hurricane Sandy on October 30. The two-day rain event kept us out of the field again until November 4. At that time, we started to check the calendar date — we were only 49% harvested and we were several days into November! We were fortunate to avoid any severe nighttime temperatures, and harvest began to wind down by mid-November. The last load of beets was received on November 30. Many records were set, including total number of beets received and average yield. Here are the 2012 numbers for Michigan Sugar Company: • Harvested Acres – 162,611 • Average Yield – 29.22 T/A • Final Tons – 4,751,048 • % Sugar – 18.66 • Purity – 95.50 This crop had a great start and a strong finish. The sugarbeets went into storage with a little extra tare; but overall, beet temperatures were good. — Paul Pfenninger

Minn-Dak Farmers Cooperative Growers began planting the 2012 crop in early April. By month’s end, nearly the entire crop was planted. Biotech sugarbeets were planted for the fifth year on virtually all of the acreage. Weed control was very good all season long. The crop made excellent progress during May and June. Plans were made in late May to prepare for a midAugust start. The July crop samples confirmed the advanced growth of the 2012 crop. The growing season of 2012 will be remembered for bright sunshine

THE SUGARBEET GROWER January 2013

along with above-average temperatures from May through August. Because of advanced crop size, preharvest was under way by August 14. Weather was not a factor in scheduling station deliveries during preharvest. From early August through the main harvest period, little to no rainfall was recorded in nearly all areas. Main harvest started on October 3. It was a dry harvest with little-to-no moisture recorded in all Minn-Dak areas but the most northern. There was one heat shutdown and three freeze shutdowns during the main harvest period. Receiving stations had several record-breaking delivery days. Harvest was completed on October 18, with a total of 3,058,045 tons harvested from 114,513 acres. The crop averaged 26.67 tons per acre with a record 19.09% sugar content, an 88.3% purity and 1.53 percent tare. — Christopher DeVries

Sidney Sugars, Inc. Sidney Sugars agriculture staff began contracting sugarbeet acres in March of 2012. The winter preceeding this spring was very warm and dry. We had only a few small snowstorms. Spring temperatures remained warm with very little rain. Growers started planting a week or two ahead of normal into mostly dry seedbeds. Some fields had just enough moisture to germinate the seeds. Many of our fields had to be irrigated for good emergence. The ones that didn’t get irrigated often had thinner stands or had to be replanted. We went into summer with not the best of plant populations. The young sugarbeet fields struggled until they were irrigated. Our summer was hot and again dry, and growers had a constant schedule of irrigations. There was no let-up with the frequent watering of fields. If growers kept adequate moisture in the fields, with the constant heat the beets showed rapid growth. Harvest started the last few days of September. After building inventory for the factory, harvest was stopped because of warm temperatures. The warm spell was broken by a storm system that deposited our most significant rain event of the year. Along with the storm, we had a couple nights of freezing temperatures that definitely locked in the sugar percent. Our growers harvested a total of 32,918 acres. The crop broke a Sidney record with an average yield of 27.8 tons per acre. The average sugar percent was 17.99%, which was a little

THE SUGARBEET GROWER January 2013

disappointing. However, beet purities were very good. The factory is having a good campaign and should slice out the middle of February. — Russ Fullmer

Southern Minnesota Beet Sugar Cooperative The 2012 season began with concerns about having adequate moisture to get the crop started, as the winter and early spring provided limited precipitation. Fortunately, the middle of April experienced reasonable rainfall, and by the end of the month nearly the entire crop was planted and had adequate moisture to start growing. Nearly ideal rainfall amounts and timing continued through May and June. Temperatures remained warm throughout the spring, and the crop was off to a great start. A few fields experienced crusting and had to be replanted, but this was less than 2% of the planted acres. The well-timed June rains had allowed the crop to grow rapidly with minimal root disease. By the end of June, the crop was closing its rows and looking good enough that many fields had already received their first Cercospora leafspot fungicide application. However, at this time the rains became more sporadic; and by the middle of July most of the growing area would have welcomed a significant rainfall event. Unfortunately, the rainfall remained sporadic, and only a few areas were lucky enough to catch meaningful precipitation. This dry period continued until after harvest was completed in mid- to late October. Despite the dry conditions, the crop continued to grow rapidly. This rapid growth, coupled with a planting tolerance of up to 110% of stock acres, facilitated the decision to begin our prepile harvest on August 14 — the earliest ever for SMBSC. With virtually no rainfall during August and September, prepile harvest went quite smoothly. By the third week in September, it started to become apparent that the

dry conditions were limiting the continued growth of the beets and driving sugar content upward. With the slowed growth of the beets, it was decided to utilize the cool temperatures during the night and early morning hours at the end of September to begin piling in earnest. This practice continued for several days until the daytime highs allowed for round-the-clock harvesting. There were a few mornings with frost shutdowns, but by then 85% of the beets had been harvested. The remaining tons were piled in a few days, and the harvest was completed October 22 with a final yield of 26.40 tons per acre and SMBSC record 17.69% sugar. Beet storage has been good through the end of November despite some lessthan-desirable temperatures. We are expecting to finish slicing beets sometime during the first half of April. — Todd Geselius

Spreckels Sugar Co. Planting began for the 2012 Imperial Valley crop the first week of September 2011, with temperatures above 110 degrees. Some of the growers held off planting, hoping the weather would cool down. But by mid-September the temperatures had not cooled, and most growers began planting the crop. We received some heavy rains in the southern part of the growing area that delayed planting and caused some replanting, due to crusting, before the crop came up. October was hotter than normal with temperatures in the 105-degree range and planting in full swing. Late October brought cooler weather with temperature in the mid 90s. Insect pressure was high, and growers had to control white flies, flea beetles and armyworms. November finally brought some cooler temps, in the mid 80s and low

90s. The crop was growing very well with the ideal temperatures. December brought some cooler-than-normal temperatures, with lows the first part of the month right at the freezing point. Root samples taken the first of the month showed average growth and above-average quality. January was another cool month with some freezing temperatures the first of the month. Again, root samples showed average growth and above-average quality. February was cooler than normal, and the root samples showed average growth and above-average quality. March turned out warmer than normal, and root samples showed average growth and quality. Harvest started April 1 with yields a little above average and quality about average. The rest of April was warmer than normal, and yields continued to climb above average. May was hot, with temperatures above 100 degrees, and saw the crop growing very well. Quality began slipping due to the hotter-than-normal temperatures. The estimate was raised by half a ton because of the above average yields seen. June was another hot month with temperatures above 110 degrees, and the estimate was raised another 0.7

ton, bringing it up to 44.7 tons per acre. July yields continued to climb and quality slipped a bit as the estimate was raised to 45.5 tons. Temperatures were hot for the entire month of July. Yields were increasing as the harvest finished up on the 14th of August. Final numbers for the 2012 harvest were 46.5 tons per acre (a record yield for the Brawley factory), sugar content of 15.98% and purity of 88.35%. It was a great crop for the Brawley growing area in spite of the lower-thannormal quality. The growers did an excellent job delivering a clean, welltopped beet to the receiving station. Thanks to all for the hard work during the 2012 sugarbeet harvest. We are looking forward to another good crop for the 2013 harvest. — Ron Tharp

Western Sugar Cooperative The 2012 crop year started off dry across all Western Sugar regions with above-normal temperatures and belownormal precipitation. Irrigation water supplies were above average and allowed the crop to have a full irrigation, except for the Front Range of Colorado. The com-

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bined heat and irrigation created a record sugarbeet crop. There were very few disease issues in all growing regions. Also, below-normal seasonal hail damage helped create a bumper crop. Insect pressure from armyworms in Nebraska and Colorado and spider mites in Montana caused some yield reductions. The Rocky Mountain region experienced good fall growing conditions until a hard freeze occurred in the first week of October, causing the sugar percentage to be locked for the remainder of the harvest. Early harvest started on September 9. Regular harvest conditions were good in all regions, with sugarbeets going into the pile clean and cool. Yields in the northern region averaged 28.8 tons per acre, with a 17.68% sugar. Nebraska averaged 29.9 tons with a 17.96% sugar and Colorado 32.4 tons with a 16.70% sugar. The cooperative averaged 10,418 pounds of sugar per acre, which is a WSC record. Sugarbeet processing is scheduled to be complete in mid- to late February. — Jerry Darnell

Wyoming Sugar Co. The Wyoming Sugar Company and growers experienced a great year. We started out with concerns about seed variety availability and the future of GMO sugarbeets, but our attention quickly turned to the dry weather. Our growing season began with very pleasant mild spring weather, but quickly turned hot and dry. Some irrigation districts sent out probable water shortage warnings; but when it was all said and done, our growing areas received adequate irrigation water to keep the crop going. Keeping up with the irrigation demands placed by the hot dry weather was the number-one issue for growing the 2012 beet crop. Our harvest began in mid-September. The warm temperatures slowed harvest until early October, when temperatures cooled off nicely and harvest could run at a normal schedule. It turned out to be a very nice dry harvest that concluded by Halloween. The 2012 processing campaign is going very well. Many new improvements and upgrades in the factory have really aided our processing ability. We have projected that we will finish slicing beets in the few days prior to Christmas. Wyoming Sugar Company’s final 2012 crop numbers came in at 29.3 tons per acre and 17.89% sugar content. — Myron Casdorph ❖

THE SUGARBEET GROWER January 2013

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COMMON GROUND

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Dateline: Washington uch of the time between Election Day and Christmas has been spent watching the two political gladiators (President Obama and House Speaker Boehner) battle over taxes and spending to avoid the fiscal cliff. When the media and voters are fixated on both the battle and the outcome, it is a tremendous opportunity for both parties to further define themselves and their political opponents. It has been said that in politics, “You never want to waste a crisis.” So the nation must wait until all of the theatrics of the negotiations have played out. With no time left on the clock, we pray that good decisions are made to chart a new and prosperous future for our country. By time you read this article, it will be clear whether an agreement had been forged by our political leaders between Christmas and New Year’s.

— Farm Bill — There were great hopes that the 2012 farm bill would be made part of the final deal to help reduce our nation’s annual deficits and staggering debt. The Administration, Senate and House Democrats wanted a farm bill as part of the final package, but House Republican leadership stalled those efforts at least until Christmas. When Congress left for its brief Christmas holiday, all indications were there would be some form of brief extension of the 2008 farm bill, with plans to complete it in early 2013. However, we are still in a period and a process where even the best predictions are, quite frankly, unpredictable. As for sugar policy, we are now in

By Luther Markwart

a very different market scenario than when the House Agriculture Committee and the full Senate considered our policy. Given the oversupply of sugar in the world market, large beet and cane crops in both the U.S. and Mexico, and an additional 420,000 tons of imports allowed into the U.S. market (based on incorrect data at the time of the decision), we have seen both the raw and refined sugar markets collapse from previous-year levels. Will sugar users pass on savings of lower prices to consumers? They have not passed on savings in the past, and we do not expect that to occur in the future. It will make their arguments much more difficult to defend in another public debate. Assuming the farm bill slips into next year and faces votes again in the Senate and House, there are many new members in both bodies that will need educating. We have 87 new members in the House and 15 in the Senate. With all of these new faces, we must work hard to educate them about the sugar industry and U.S. sugar policy. We want to thank everyone who has participated in their political action committees, because it provides industry representatives the opportunity to speak directly to the members of Congress so they can better understand our issues and the strategic importance of our industry.

— Biotech — On November 15, the last appeal on a Roundup Ready® issue was ruled on, ending a long legal battle over biotechnology in sugarbeets. We spent almost five years (1,755

Executive Vice President American Sugarbeet Growers Assn. days) in the courts during which we were engaged in four cases in two U.S. district courts (San Francisco and Washington, D.C.) and three appellate cases in the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals (San Francisco). It is our sincere hope the opponents of biotechnology will now cease their attacks on our efforts to raise our crop in a more efficient and environmentally friendly way. We have proven that the technology is safe, the sugar is the same as that from conventional production, and that our producers are great stewards in removing bolters and managing against weed resistance — because grower stewardship is essential to retain the value of the technology. Biotech opponents, however, are renewing their efforts to pass state ballot initiatives to require labeling of foods that contain ingredients from biotech crops. While they lost such an effort in California last year, they are targeting Washington, Vermont and Connecticut. We stand shoulder-to-shoulder with other biotech crop producers to oppose such labeling efforts. Our American Sugarbeet Growers Association has established a new Biotechnology and Research Committee to monitor and engage in these types of efforts for the years to come, and we are prepared to face the challenges and opportunities before us.

— Crop Insurance — Price election for 2013 will be $58.95, which is appropriate given the state of the current marketplace. One important change this year is that replant reimbursement will not be 1.5 times price election, but rather a fixed dollar amount of $80 per acre. We successfully sought this modification to avoid an annual battle to retain a more reasonable replant amount. When sugar prices drop, replant costs do not, so this is a great improvement over our traditional coverage. ❖

THE SUGARBEET GROWER January 2013

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USDA Projects 2012/13 Global Sugar Output Production Flattens As Consumption Rises Summary of Foreign Ag Service November Report lobal production for 2012/13 is estimated flat after rising 20% over the past three years, as sharply lower production in both India and the EU is offset by other producers. Global imports are estimated down 3% as China’s imports decline on increased production. World raw sugar prices are down sharply during November compared to the past two years and are expected to support higher consumption. Brazil’s production, estimated at 37.5 million metric tons (MMT), is up 4%, based on a higher sugarcane renewal rate and better yields. Also, the low price of gasoline (with respect to ethanol) has diverted some sugarcane away from fuel use. In October 2011, the percentage of ethanol blended to gasoline dropped from 25 to 20%, and is expected to remain unchanged at least until May 2013. Exports and consumption are expected to remain constant. India’s production is expected to drop about 10% to 25.6 MMT, as below-normal rains in the first half of the monsoon season (June-September) discouraged additional sugarcane planting and caused some cane to be used for cattle feed. Ex-

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ports are estimated to plunge nearly 40% to 2.2 MMT, so large markets such as Sri Lanka, United Arab Emirates and Bangladesh will have to find other suppliers. In May 2012, sugar exports were liberalized, eliminating the need to obtain export release orders. Mills and exporters are thus free to export, but the government is monitoring exports closely. Consequent to lower production, imports are estimated up from 100,000 MT to 500,000 MT. EU production is estimated to fall 10% to 16.4 MMT due to unfavorable beet growing conditions, despite a slight increase in beet acreage. Beet yields suffered from continued wet and cold weather during spring and summer in much of northwest Europe, which includes the main beet-producing areas, while summer droughts limited beet yields in southeast European production areas. Beet sugar content is forecast to be closer to normal levels as weather improved toward the beet maturation period. EU exports are estimated at 1.5 MMT, the EU WTO ceiling for sugar. Imports are estimated to remain at 3.8 MMT with Brazil as the leading supplier. However, imports might exceed this volume and the mix of suppliers might change if free trade agreements with Colombia, Peru and six Central American countries become operational following the ratification procedures. Once implemented, these FTAs will grant additional duty-free TRQs, totaling 264,000 MT, with annual increases of 3%. Ending stocks are estimated at almost 4.4 MMT, partly as a result of unsold out-of-quota sugar from 2011/12 being carried over. China is estimated to produce 14.6 MMT of sugar in 2012/13, up nearly 20%, resulting from higher yields and expanded area for sugarcane and beets. Sugarcane planted area, which represents 87% of area planted to sugar, is expanding as producers switch from less-profitable crops, such as cassava. Rising incomes are expected to support increased domestic consumption as demand expands for key industries (confectionary, beverage, etc.). Imports are consequently expected to drop by about 50% to 2 MMT. Thailand’s production is expected to decline 3% to 9.9 MMT due to lower sugarcane production resulting from unfavorable weather conditions. Sugar production had grown significantly over the previous years while the government of Thailand operated a three-year project that provided soft loans to cane growers to help them buy harvesters and improve production efficiency. Exports are expected to remain at 7.5 MMT as demand is steady in top markets. U.S. production is estimated at 8 MMT, up 4%, as a result of increased cane and beet sugar production. If realized, this would be the highest production level since 1999/2000. Consumption is up slightly to a record 10.3 MMT, and Mexico is expected to remain the largest supplier. Mexico’s production is estimated to increase more than 10% to 6.0 MMT, just under the 2004/05 record. Consequently, exports, consumption and ending stocks are all estimated higher. Sugar use under the “other disappearance” category, mainly for the Mexican re-export program, is also revised upward. The IMMEX program allows sugar to be sold to Mexican food manufacturers as raw material for further processing. These food manufacturers must then process the sugar within six months from the date of purchase and export the final processed product. Russia’s production is estimated to fall from last year’s record 5.5 MMT, but remains the second largest at over 4.8 MMT as production of sugarbeets is expected to remain high. Consumption is estimated slightly lower as more sugar substitutes are used by the food processing industry. In spite of lower consumption, imports are estimated up 20% to 900,000 MT, but well below the 2.5 MMT of just two years earlier. ❖

THE SUGARBEET GROWER (Upper Midwest) January 2013

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Energy Beet Project Garners Support from Dept. of Energy Maryland company announced in December that it had been awarded $1.8 million in funding from the U.S. Department of Energy’s Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy (ARPAE). Plant Sensory Systems, based in Baltimore, said the award will support a three-year program to develop an enhanced energy (sugar) beet, optimized for biofuel production. The beets will be engineered to use fertilizer and water more efficiently and produce higher levels of fermentable sugars compared to current feedstocks. According to Plant Sensory Systems, the new beet crop will have lower production costs and increased yield for biofuels — without competing against food-grade sugar. “ARPA-E’s support will allow us to accelerate the development of the enhanced energy beets for biofuel,” said Dr. Frank Turano, Plant Sensory Systems’ chief research officer. “We anticipate a 30% increase in fermentable sugars, which will substantially in-

crease domestic fuel production. The benefits will be shared by a number of entities in the biofuel supply chain, including beet producers as well as the biorefineries.” The energy-beet project, headed by Turano, will be conducted in collaboration with Dr. Ann Smigocki, a sugarbeet research geneticist with the U.S. Department of Agriculture at Beltsville, Md., along with economists at North Dakota State University, led by Dr. David Ripplinger. The research team will work closely with ARPA-E to expedite the development and commercialization of the enhanced beets for biofuel production. ARPA-E supports transformational research that translates science into breakthrough energy technologies that are too early for private-sector investment. Projects are selected through a merit-based process that is highly competitive. Plant Sensory Systems’ Energy-Beet project was one of 66 projects selected from thousands of

concept papers and hundreds of full applications. “The 66 projects selected . . . represent the true mission of ARPA-E: swinging for the fences and trying to hit home runs to support development of the most innovative technologies and change what’s possible for America’s energy future,” said Energy Secretary Steven Chu. “Plant Sensory Systems’ EnergyBeet project is one such innovated project whose goals are closely aligned with ARPA-E’s mission,” the company stated. “If successful, the engineered beets will enhance the economic and energy security of the U.S. by expanding and diversifying the biofuel feedstock in the U.S. and increasing the biofuel production capacity per acre — and they will reduce energy-related emissions by requiring less nitrogen fertilizer.” Plant Sensory Systems, LLC is a privately held agricultural biotechnology company that develops technologies to improve crop performance for production of food, feed, fiber, biofuel and bio-based products. The company has developed traits that increase yields, improve nitrogen and water use efficiency, promote tolerance to drought and high temperature, increase seed oil content for biofuel production, and enhance nutritional value. ❖

THE SUGARBEET GROWER (Upper Midwest) January 2013

You can’t trust the weather. You can’t trust the conditions. So what exactly can you count on?

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A Harrowing Trip To D.C. Short Snippet from the Long Road Leading to Minn-Dak’s Formation inn-Dak Farmers Cooperative held its 40th annual meeting in December 2012. But efforts to gain acreage allotments and to build a sugarbeet factory in the southern end of the Red River Valley actually date back to the early 1950s. The long and circuitous route that farmers in the region traveled prior to Minn-Dak becoming an operating reality two decades later contained numerous obstacles — but those farmers obviously persevered and succeeded. During the ’50s and ’60s, they worked toward their ambitious goal under the banner of the Southern Red River Valley Beet Development Association. The following story, recounting a 1961 lobbying trip made by a small contingent of Wahpeton/Breckenridge sugarbeet activists to Washington, D.C., is excerpted from The HistoryMakers: Challenges Met, 1950-1990, a history of Minn-Dak Farmers Cooperative up through 1990.

“The pace picked up for this group as the decade of the 60s arrived, a decade of determination, decision and deeds, some quite daring and some more mundane. “However, one flight to Washington went into the records as belonging to the daring category. This dramatic flight was made by Leo Yaggie; Bob Waite, executive secretary; and Glen Chambers, Wilkin County Extension Agent. They were traveling to a hearing scheduled for Friday, May 19, 1961. Robert Schuler, a Breckenridge businessman, provided his airplane for the trip and acted as their pilot. “Coffee breaks involved making stops along the way. However, when they got to Wheeling, West Virginia, coffee they could find, but a map of the east coast they could not. Undaunted, they decided to fly to Bailey’s Corner near Alexandria, Virginia. However, they discovered they were in a major airline route. Schuler radioed for direc-

tions and was guided to a small airstrip. As he was about to land, he saw another plane which appeared to be taking off. Not wanting to collide, Schuler aborted the landing. The plane was not taking off, but since the airstrip was small, Schuler was unable to get back into landing pattern. Confusion led to the plane eventually landing on a four-lane highway. “Though Waite remembered traffic when they arrived, he said there was not a car in sight when they crashed. The fire department came and wanted to foam the plane. Waite pulled out his volunteer fireman’s badge and asked them not to, explaining they had to speak at a formal hearing the next day and didn’t want to take a chance on their clothes being damaged. A deputy sheriff, the highway patrol and Federal Aviation authorities were all on-site to investigate the crash. “The plane was totalled but no one was injured. Odin Langen, a Minnesota congressman, denounced the group for staging a publicity stunt right before the sugar hearings, according to Waite. However, Langen allowed the men to use his office during their stay. Waite recorded, ‘His (Langen’s) help was invaluable.’ ” ❖

THE SUGARBEET GROWER (Upper Midwest) January 2013

30 Years Ago Lou Towater President New American Growers / By Janice Grauberger — “When Lou Towater talks about the sugarbeet industry, there is a determined set to his jaw and an undeniable twinkle in his eye. “The longtime resident of Scottsbluff, Neb., who is president of the American Sugarbeet Growers Association and SUGRO, has found a special niche in the industry. “His fellow producers and association board members can testify to Towater’s long-lived dedication to securing a healthy, viable sugarbeet industry which will live long into the future. That dedication is mirrored in his 30-plus years of work on behalf of beet growers and processors. “The proudest, most exciting moment in his life was walking up to accept the presidency of the American association, he says. It was a long climb for the Panhandle beet grower — a seed that started with a need to back the industry that had been good to his family and ended in a strong tree acting as a mainstay in the industry. “He and his wife Audrey started farming in 1946 after Towater was released from a stint in the military. ‘That’s what I wanted to do,’ Towater remembers with a grin and a shrug. . . . Beets were a part of Towater’s operation from the beginning, and the crop so often dubbed the ‘mortgage lifter’ continued to be so successful; it became a mainstay for many communities, Towater says.” Editor’s Note: Lou Towater is pictured in the magazine cover at right. November Harvest Start-up Produces Maximum Tonnage — “Texas growers starting sugarbeet harvest about November 1 will produce maximum tonnage and sugar. Growers that harvest earlier will reduce yield and returns. Delaying harvest after November 1 is not likely to increase yield much, but greatly increases the possibility of bad weather and harvest problems. “Dr. Steve Winter, Texas Agricultural Experiment Station sugarbeet researcher from the Texas A&M Center at Amarillo, came to this conclusion after four years of research. Each year Mono-Hy D2 sugarbeets were planted in March in Pullman clay loam soil at the USDA Conservation and Production Research Laboratory at Bushland. The sugarbeets were managed for high yields. “Each year the researcher harvested the sugarbeets at two-week intervals from September 1 to November 9. . . . On the average, by September 1, beet yield was 24 tons per acre. By November 9, tonnage increased to 31 tons per acre. During the same time, sugar percentage increased from 13.5 to 16.0.” Michigan Growers Form Association — “One thousand sugarbeet growers in Michigan’s Saginaw Valley and Thumb Region have established a new growers’

THE SUGARBEET GROWER January 2013

Excerpts from the January 1983 Issue of The Sugarbeet Grower

organization. The Great Lakes Sugar Beet Growers Association (GLSBGA) consists of growers producing sugarbeets for Michigan Sugar Company. “The purpose of GLSBGA is to: (1) promote the state’s sugar industry; (2) educate Michigan consumers and taxpayers about the importance of the industry; (3) support and review research projects; (4) work with legislators in Michigan and Washington, D.C., in order to maintain a strong domestic industry; (5) improve members’ knowledge of recent improvements and advancement of the sugarbeet industry. “The new officers are as follows: President, Stanley G. Gettel of the Sebewaing Beet Growers Assoc., Inc.; Vice President, Roy J. Hickey of the Caro Sugar Beet Growers, Inc., and Secretary-Treasurer, Garnet Hoard of the Alma Beet Growers Assn., Inc. . . . The Great Lakes Sugar Beet Growers Association was established as a reorganizational move after the Farmers and Manufacturers Beet Sugar Association was dissolved.” Domestic Industry Promotes New Educational Program of ‘The Facts’ — “The domestic sugar industry, under attack by what spokesmen called ‘greedy special-interest groups deliberating distorting the facts,’ has announced a new program to disseminate information about United States sugar production. “Five industry groups have organized the Sugar Information Bureau, based in Washington and staffed by professional information specialists, to meet what was termed ‘an obvious and growing need for the factual story of domestic sugar.’ The groups are the American Sugarbeet Growers Association, representing farmers in 16 states; the Florida Sugar Cane League, Hawaiian Sugar Planters’ Association, the Rio Grande Valley Sugar Cane Growers Cooperative and the United States Beet Sugar Association, a group of processing companies. . . . Together the groups represent virtually all of the domestic sugar industry, which has long been viewed by government as essential to United States consumer and commercial interests.” Researchers Study [Role] of Herbicides in Control of Weeds — “Herbicides usually effective in controlling weeds can sometimes cause more harm than good to the crop. To prevent this problem, researchers are trying to develop herbicide-resistant crops. ‘Such crops would lead to more complete weed control, increased yields, and lower consumer prices for food,’ says Garry A. Smith, USDA-ARS plant geneticist at Fort Collins, Colo. . . . “In a two-year study, the plant geneticist found 15 lines of sugarbeets which offered varying degrees of susceptibility to herbicides.” ❖

I’m reading the whole Christmas story To children who’ve heard it before. But we still enjoy the retelling, So I’m going to read it once more. The holiday lights are all shining, There’s plenty of wood for the fire. The house smells of Christmas baking, Our spirits just couldn’t be higher.

Write Field

The harvest was pretty successful. I’m done buying and selling this year. Most of the bookwork is already done, And next week my schedule is clear. My mother is off at my sister’s, No snow is piled up in the drive. So my obligations are pretty darn low, And it’s fun just being alive.

By David Kragnes

Relax & Count Blessings hope you had a good harvest season. In general, it was a pretty good beet crop nationwide. Take some time now to celebrate with family and friends.

Maybe it’s caused by the season, But it feels awfully good to be me, With a grandchild sitting here on my lap And one perched there on each knee.

So ’til the first week of next year When reality gives me a slap, I’ll just forget about cleaning the shop, And lay down for a long winter’s nap.

David Kragnes farms near Felton, Minn. A former board chairman of American Crystal Sugar Company, he currently serves on the board of directors of CoBank.

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Planting Ante Up to 48

Photos: Don Lilleboe

RRV Farm’s Beets Go In With Three 48-Row Units

igger may not automatically translate into better; but if and when the situation calls for it, adding some size can make a lot of sense. That’s Chris Hong’s philosophy when it comes to planter capacity. In the spring of 2012, Hong Farms, based

at Buxton, N.D., used three 48-row planters to put in their sugarbeet, corn, soybean and edible bean crops. The three Deere DB88 48R22s covered about 17,000 acres last spring, including 7,400 acres of beets. The Hongs aren’t the only large

growers in the Red River Valley and Southern Minnesota sugarbeet region to employ 48-row planters, but that group is obviously the exception rather than the rule. It comes down to needing to cover a lot of ground during the region’s typically short row-crop planting window — and doing so with less manpower and fewer tractors than these operations would otherwise need. It also comes down to the size, shape and terrain of many of the region’s fields: large, rectangular and flat. The Hong units are equipped with Martin row cleaners, along with several features from Precision Planting, Inc., including 20/20 AirForce® for automatic measurement and management of down force, the 20/20 SeedSense® moni-

Left: Chris Hong (right) visits with his American Crystal Sugar agriculturist, Tim Leshuk, during the 2012 planting season. “Considering the amount of acres, coupled with varying day-today field conditions, Chris, Curt and Scott do a nice job with stand establishment,” Leshuk observes. “We’ve been shooting for higher plant populations recently, and it’s been a rare occasion to go out in one of their fields and find less than 200 emerged beets per 100 feet of row.”

THE SUGARBEET GROWER January 2013

tor system, and eSet® vacuum metering. They also have Deere’s iGuide implement guidance and RowCommand™ individual row control systems, plus Keeton seed firmers. For 2013, the Hongs are adding Martin Spading-Closing wheels to help minimize furrow sidewall compaction. Prior to 2009, the Hongs — Chris, brother Curt and father Scott — had been running three 24-row planters across their row-crop acreage. They needed more capacity for their expanding operation, “but instead of getting another 24-row, we went with two 48s,” Chris explains. That freed up two planter operators for other duties and also negated the need for two planter tractors. By the following year, however, they decided to add a 24-row planter. Then, in 2012, seeing a need to once again expand their planting capacity, they sold the 24-row, opting for a third 48-row unit. They also traded in the two original 48-rows — so ended up using three new DB88s last spring. Chris says they can cover 45-50 acres per hour with each DB88, depending on ground speed. In the spring of 2010, when a wet weather system was rolling in, he seeded about 1,750 acres in a 48-hour period with one of the planters. “So I have definitely put it to the test,” he affirms. They typically pull the large planters with John Deere 8360R tractors, although they have, in a couple instances, substituted their Case IH 550 Quadtrac under wetter planting conditions. While the Hongs rarely operate all three 48-row planters within the same field, it has occurred. On one occasion, they planted a quarter section of edible beans in a period of about 45 minutes. The most common question he gets from other growers, Chris relates, is about the size of their headlands — 96 rows on each end. “But that hasn’t really been an issue for us,” he says. “We’ve been doing it for four years now and are accustomed to it. Actually, during harvest, it’s nice to have that extra room to maneuver all the trucks and other equipment.” There’s also the matter of planting that last group of rows on a field when there are just a dozen or two left. “With the 48-row, I just overlap where I’ve already seeded,” Chris notes. “I move over accordingly with the GPS, shut off those already-seeded rows (his updated RowCommand shuts off in four-row sections), and just drive over them. Some people probably think driving over what has already been seeded would hurt crop emergence

THE SUGARBEET GROWER January 2013

there, but I haven’t seen that happen.” The shut-off also, of course, means he’s not applying starter fertilizer a second time to those affected rows. The 48-row units’ planting capacity has another benefit, Hong says — one that, at first glance, may seem contra-

dictory to the stated goal of getting the crop in as expeditiously as possible. “”With a bigger machine, there is a little less pressure to drive too fast,” he points out. “You don’t have to be pushing them to the max all the time. Going a little slower results in a better

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stand — especially with beets and corn. “You only have one chance to put the crop in, so you want to do it right. Doesn’t matter whether you have 500 acres or 5,000.” The 48-row planter “is a good fit for

us,” Chris concludes. “If you have an operator who can run a 24-row planter, he can run a 48-row, with all the precision tools that are on these units.” Given the size of the Hong operation as of 2012/13, Chris doesn’t have as

much tractor time as he once did. “But one thing I still do is plant,” he says. “I enjoy it. These are my ‘babies.’ The first step in getting a good crop is planting it right, and that’s what these machines do.” — Don Lilleboe ❖

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Managing Beet Diseases In the Central Great Plains — Eight Tips for Continued Success — By Robert M. Harveson ugarbeets in Nebraska and other areas of the Great Plains may be affected by a number of diseases from all pathogen groups, including fungi, bacteria, viruses and nematodes. Fungal diseases are commonly encountered causing leaf spots (Cercospora, Phoma, and Alternaria), root rots (Fusarium, Rhizoctonia, Pythium, Aphanomyces,). Bacteria are generally less problematic in this region but can cause both foliar blights, leaf spots (bacterial leaf spot) and root rots (bacterial vascular necrosis and rot – formally Erwinia root rot). Both viruses (rhizomania and beet soilborne mosaic) and nematodes (sugar cyst and false root-knot) commonly are

Robert Harveson is extension plant pathologist with the University of Nebraska’s Panhandle Research & Extension Center, Scottsbluff.

found residing in soils, resulting in root disease problems. The appearance and severity of specific diseases is highly dependent upon local environmental conditions, and the most destructive diseases one year may not be the same the next. Each disease is strongly influenced by environmental conditions and other factors, such as choice of variety, proximity to previously infested fields, and cultural practices that promote favorable conditions for either the pathogen or the host. Below are eight general suggestions or reminders that should help you manage some of the common diseases in sugarbeets — and in most of the other crops on your farm. We hope that this article will also provide some assistance for growers and consultants by introducing the possible disease problems that may be encountered, how to recognize them, and to begin

Credit: Robert Harveson

Figure 1: Sample Foliar Diseases of Sugarbeets —

understanding those conditions that influence disease development for those most likely to occur. Learning to identify and distinguish between these various diseases is important for making the correct diagnosis, which then becomes a critical first step for choosing the most effective option for disease management. 1. Integrated Pest Management (IPM) — This term is used frequently by pathologists, but for good reason. The simple idea behind this concept is that it is desirable to use multiple strategies to manage disease, not just one. IPM reduces your chances of a management failure occurring. If the genetic resistance bred into varieties doesn’t work for some unknown reason, you might still be covered because you rotated properly, are prepared to apply a fungicide, etc. 2. Know Your Enemy — There is an increasing amount of information available to help in disease identification and management. The University of Nebraska’s Panhandle Research & Extension Center attempts to disseminate information that seeks to provide accurate symptoms and key points about disease that you are likely to see. We realize that differentiating diseases can be difficult, and as a result, questions and/or submissions to extension educators, or the center’s plant pathology diagnostic lab, are encouraged. Similarly, we will try to get critical information out as diseases are occurring. Whether it is the UNL website, radio spots or newspaper or trade journal articles such as this, it is important to stay informed. 3. Find the Enemy — Scouting is one of the most important parts of disease management. If you are uncertain what disease(s) you have, it is very difficult to make informed decisions about specific management tools. For example, if you identify a severe epidemic of Rhizoctonia or Aphanomyces root rot, then the next time you go back in that field you might want to plant a resistant cultivar. Similarly, foliar fungicides are most effective in the early stages of an epidemic. If you let Cercospora leafspot get ahead of you, for instance, you can lose yield and profitability quickly. This is a disease that you cannot play catchup with after it gets out of control. Furthermore, foliar fungicide applications would not be effective in managing bacterial leafspot, so correctly diagnosing the problem is critical.

THE SUGARBEET GROWER January 2013

Credit: Robert Harveson

4. Rotation â&#x20AC;&#x201D; Sugarbeets Figure 2: Sample Root Rot Diseases of Sugarbeets â&#x20AC;&#x201D; generally perform better after rotations. Three- to four-year rotations are typically recommended, depending on crops grown within the given rotation. Most of the soilborne root pathogen problems will be diminished somewhat by this length of rotation. However, they donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t disappear completely, as these pathogens have built-in survival mechanisms to persist for long periods in soil, even under adverse conditions. 5. Varietal Resistance â&#x20AC;&#x201D; For a number of reasons, the selection of a particular cultivar is perhaps the most important decision you make. If you have a field history of rhizomania, planting a cultivar with some resistance will likely be the most cost-effective disease management tool at your disposal. Just remember that â&#x20AC;&#x153;resistanceâ&#x20AC;? does not guarantee complete control, as none of the resistant varieties offer â&#x20AC;&#x153;immunity.â&#x20AC;? In the case of rhizomania, the resistance does not prohibit particularly important. For example, if The changes in the world of agriculture infection and replication of the viral occur quickly. In the future, we would growers mistakenly thought they had pathogen. The plant simply grows and an epidemic of CLS and it turned out also anticipate that diseases and disyields well in spite of being potentially ease management will be different. We to be bacterial leafspot, they would infected. We are currently screening may have new diseases (or races) to waste their money applying a product soil samples for the Western Sugar Coworry about, new resistance in hybrids with no chance of being effective. Conoperative, looking for the incidence or to combat them, and new fungicides or versely, if CLS was confused with presence of pathogen isolates that may other products to use â&#x20AC;&#x201D; and new recPhoma leafspot and was not sprayed be able to overcome the genetic resistommendations to go with them. The with a fungicide (knowing that Phoma ance incorporated into all the varieties more knowledge you have about disrarely requires treatment), the grower used in this region. ease management, the more likely you would very likely incur a loss due to 6. Seed Treatments â&#x20AC;&#x201D; Sugarbeets the failure to treat CLS. are to be able to manage diseases in a may be treated with one or more of sevchanging world. 8. Stay Engaged and Adapt â&#x20AC;&#x201D; â?&#x2013; eral fungicides for protection against certain fungal pathogens such as Rhizoctonia, Aphanomyces or Pythium. New harvester sales These products will not last for the enFactory reconditioned used tire season, but may be useful for reharvesters available with ducing damping-off and stand warranty reduction problems during the most important part of the plantâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s developNumerous header options ment. Establishment of a healthy available: 9R20â&#x20AC;?, 8R22â&#x20AC;?, 8R20â&#x20AC;?, stand is critical for a healthy crop. 6R30â&#x20AC;?, 6R20â&#x20AC;?, 4R30â&#x20AC;?, 4R28â&#x20AC;? or inquire for more options However, integrating a seed treatment with a resistant cultivar or a later funParts and Service gicide application is a good example of employing the concept of IPM. 7. Foliar Fungicides â&#x20AC;&#x201D; On sugarbeet crops in Nebraska and other areas of the Central Great Plains, the most important disease to manage with fungicides is Cercospora leafspot s .EW CLEANER LOADER SALES 4ERRA &ELLIS (CLS). Although other common leaf s &ACTORY RECONDITIONED USED CLEANER LOADERS diseases (Alternaria, Phoma and bacte AVAILABLE WITH WARRANTY rial leafspots) (Figure 1) are readily s 0ARTS AND 3ERVICE found in beet fields in this region, only CLS is damaging enough to economiFor more information: cally justify making fungicide applica989-553-5253 or Email: jakemaurer@live.com tions. This makes a correct diagnosis

Photo 22-A b/w pull from Nov/Dec p. 21

Around The Industry

Davison Elected Minn-Dak Chair; Green Re-elected Crystal Chair; Butenhoff Chosen Vice Chairman Erickson Now Vice Chairman

Brent Davison

Dennis Butenhoff

At their annual reorganizational meeting in early December, the MinnDak Farmers Cooperative Board of Directors selected Brent Davison of Tintah, Minn., as the new board chairman. Davison, a Minn-Dak director since 2004, also currently serves on the board of directors of United Sugars Corporation as well as that of the American Sugarbeet Growers Association. As chairman, he succeeds Doug Etten of Foxhome, Minn., who retired from board service after serving the 15-year maximum allowed by Minn-Dak bylaws. Davison became the cooperative’s chairman 30 years to the month after his father, Earl, was elected to head the Minn-Dak Board of Directors. Earl Davison served as a Minn-Dak director from 1973 to 1987. Dennis Butenhoff of Barnesville, Minn., was elected to succeed Davison as Minn-Dak’s vice chairman. A board member since 2005, Butenhoff also serves on the board of Midwest AgriCommodities. Board member Dennis Klosterman (Mooreton, N.D.) was elected secretary, and Pat Freese (Kent, Minn.) was elected treasurer. Current directors Chuck Steiner (Foxhome, Minn.) and Kevin Kutzer (Fairmount, N.D.) were re-elected by their respective districts’ shareholders. During the co-op’s annual meeting, Tim Deal of Doran, Minn., was elected by shareholders to a seat on the MinnDak Board of Directors. Minn-Dak’s 2012 annual meeting was its 40th. The cooperative recently announced plans for a $70.3 million molasses desugarization add-on facility at its Wahpeton, N.D., factory.

Robert Green

Brian Erickson

Robert Green, St. Thomas, N.D., was re-elected chairman of the American Crystal Sugar Company Board of Directors during the board’s December 6 reorganizational meeting following the cooperative’s annual meeting. Brian Erickson was elected vice chairman at the board meeting. Erickson, an ACSC director since 2005, farms near East Grand Forks and Ada, Minn. He also currently serves on the board of directors of Midwest Agri-Commodities. Newly elected director Kelly Erickson joined American Crystal’s board at the December meeting. Erickson, who farms near Hallock, Minn., is currently president of the American Sugarbeet Growers Association. He previously served as president of the Red River Valley Sugarbeet Growers Association. Neil Widner of Stephen, Minn., a director since 2000 and former ACSC board chairman, reached his term limit after four consecutive three-year terms of service.

Michigan/Ontario Research Reporting Session Is Jan. 30 The 2013 Michigan/Ontario Sugarbeet Research Reporting Session is scheduled for January 30 at the DoubleTree Hotel in Bay City. This seventh annual reporting session will cover current sugarbeet research being conducted in the Great Lakes region. The program runs from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Meal reservations are required. For more information about the 2013 research reporting session, contact Steve Poindexter, Michigan State University Extension, Saginaw, at (989) 758-2500.

2013 International Sugarbeet Institute March 13-14 in Fargo The 51st edition of the International Sugarbeet Institute will be held March 13 and 14, 2013, at the Fargodome in Fargo, N.D. The ISBI is North America’s largest sugarbeet industry trade show. The 2012 event in Grand Forks, N.D., showcased about 125 exhibitors and drew more than 2,300 visitors. Featured speakers at the 2013 ISBI will be Luther Markwart, executive vice president of the American Sugarbeet Growers Association, on the 13th; and Howard Dahl, president of Amity Technology, on the 14th. Companies desiring exhibiting information for the International Sugarbeet Institute can contact exhibits coordinator Bob Cournia at (218) 281-4681. Other ISBI-related questions should be directed to Dr. Mohamed Khan, committee chairman, at (701) 231-8596.

37th ASSBT Biennial Meeting Scheduled for Feb. 27-March 2 The American Society of Sugar Beet Technologists will celebrate the 75th anniversary of its founding during the organization’s 37th biennial meeting, to be held on February 27-March 2, 2013. The meeting takes place at the Disneyland Resort, Anaheim, Calif. The event begins on the 27th with registration, poster setup and the evening President’s Reception. A general session is held on the morning of the 28th, followed by agricultural and operations technical sessions that afternoon and throughout the next two days. The 2013 ASSBT meeting concludes with the traditional awards banquet on the evening of March 2. Complete meeting information can be found on the ASSBT’s website — www.bsdf-assbt.org. ❖

30th International Sweetener Symposium Aug. 2-7 Napa, Calif. www.sugaralliance.org THE SUGARBEET GROWER January 2013

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Richard Underwood H&R Ag - Pasco, WA

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