At a glance:

Sugarbeet Research and Education Board of Minnesota Web site

Printable Info Sheet

Minnesota ranks first nationally in sugarbeet production, raising 460,000 acres annually. North Dakota follows close behind, raising 260,000 acres annually, placing it 3rd nationally. Minnesota and North Dakota officially became the “nation's sugar bowl” in 1974. The annual economic benefits from the beet sugar industry in Minnesota-North Dakota include $1.1 billion in direct impacts plus another $2 billion in secondary impacts.

The Sugarbeet Production Program is a collaborative educational program established by the UM Extension Service and North Dakota State University in the late 1960s. The U of M and NDSU work in a collaborative partnership with three major sugar producers: Southern Minnesota Beet Sugar Cooperative, Minn-Dak Farmers Cooperative, and American Crystal Sugar. This close collaboration allows this program to reach virtually all entities involved in sugar production in Minnesota and North Dakota. The purpose of this program is to improve profitability of sugarbeet production. This is accomplished through improving sucrose content in the beet, increasing yields per acre, and reducing input costs.

Audience

• Sugarbeet producers (owners of cooperatives)
• Ag industry (sellers of inputs)

Specific Goals

• To empower farmers and industry members to enhance the production of sucrose in the sugar beet through improvements in inputs, production methods, growing conditions, harvesting and manufacturing

Team Members

• John Lamb, Soil Fertility and soil management [info] (works with Southern MN Beet Sugar Cooperative)
• Alan Dexter, Weed control (shared UM/NDSU Extension specialist) [info] (works with all 3 sugar cooperatives)
• Mohamed Khan, Cultural practices and disease, (shared UM/NDSU Extension specialist) (works with all 3 sugar cooperatives)

Partners

• North Dakota State University
• Southern Minnesota Beet Sugar Cooperative
• Minn-Dak Farmers Cooperative
• American Crystal Sugar Company
• U of M NW Research and Outreach Center, Crookston

• Online Nutrient calculator for field corn, sugar beets and wheat
• Annual Sugarbeet Pocket Production Guide
• Annual Sugarbeet Research and Extension Reports
• Sugarbeet Research and Education Board of Minnesota Web site: http://www.sbreb.org/
• Sugarbeet Grower Seminar Series
• Research-based Extension Publications
• Precision agriculture research and education for sugarbeet production