Western Sugar Cooperative’s Vice President of Agriculture Jerry Darnell
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SCOTTSBLUFF – Western Sugar Cooperative’s Vice President of Agriculture Jerry Darnell told The Business Farmer the sugar content from this year’s sugar beet harvest produced a record-breaking sugar content.
This year’s beet harvest amounted to 18.8% sugar content, beating out the 2018 record of 18.3%. Adding to the record-breaking sugar content was slightly higher than average yields, despite the area’s drought conditions. Darnell said Western Sugar Cooperative averaged 30.9 tons per acre yields.
Darnell said the harvest was affected by the drought but didn’t affect the irrigated crops to the extent it did for those who did not have access to irrigation systems.
“It all depended on their (the producers) location,” Darnell said.
Western Sugar Cooperative expects to finish processing during the second week in March as the operation is about 50% complete, according to Darnell.
“I’m thankful for God for providing us great weather, for the most part, to provide a tremendous crop,” Darnell said. “It was a great crop.”