The Western Sugar Cooperative has kicked-off its sugar beet harvest in the Lovell area.
The early harvest normally begins around September tenth, but started almost a week earlier this year due to expected high yields. Western Sugar’s Agricultural Manager for the region, Randall Jobman, says the company is pleased with the crop.
We’ve had an above average growing season, a lot of heat units, we had a decent type of spring without a lot of frost, we expect an above average crop, to possibly even a record crop.
Western Sugar predicts about 30 tons per acre yields, compared to last year’s 29 tons per acre. Jobman says because all sugar beet fields in the area are irrigated, the drought has not affected the crop. The harvest is expected to continue until around Halloween and processing will end in mid-February.