News

Minnesota sugar beet crop looks good

The sugar beet crop in Minnesota is coming along nicely.

Todd Geselius, vice president of agriculture for  the Minnesota Beet Sugar Cooperative says favorable weather this spring allowed for early planting.

“We managed to avoid any big frost, so we have really no replants to speak of.  And lately, when normally we’re getting dry, we’ve been getting some very timely rains.”

While the moisture this summer has been welcome, Geselius says beet growers are hoping for dryer conditions ahead.

“Quite frankly, if we could have limited rainfall until we’re done with harvest, that would be ideal.  When we get rain in September, it tends to make the beets bigger and it dilutes out the sugar.”

He tells Brownfield this late July-early August period is when beets gain tons, but the most important time in the development cycle comes around Labor Day because that’s when the crop puts on sugar.

As of Sunday, Minnesota’s sugar beet crop is rated 85 percent good to excellent.