Projections for 2022 Sugarbeet Crop (04/28/22)
Farmers in the USA grow and process sugar from sugar cane and sugarbeet. Sugar cane is produced in Florida, Louisiana, and Texas and sugarbeet is produced in Minnesota, North Dakota, Idaho, Michigan, Montana, Nebraska, Colorado, Wyoming, Oregon, California and Washington. The United States Department of Agriculture estimates that 1.162 million acres of sugarbeet will be planted in the USA in the 2022 growing season.
Minnesota and North Dakota have three sugar cooperatives – American Crystal Sugar Company, Minn-Dak Farmers Cooperative and Southern Minnesota Beet Sugar Cooperative. In addition, farmers in western North Dakota produce sugarbeet that are processed in neighboring Sidney, Montana. Growers in Minnesota and North Dakota will plant about 653,000 acres that represent about 56% of the total US sugarbeet production.
Farmers are encouraged to continue their efforts at improving efficiency by ensuring that planting is done in properly prepared and weed-free seed beds, by using adequate seeding rate and uniform seed spacing to start with a good plant population to give the crop a solid foundation (Figure 1). Growers have the option of using several effective fungicidal seed treatments to control Rhizoctonia seedling damping-off. Farmers with a history of Aphanomyces in their fields are advised to use Tachigaren seed treatment and to apply and incorporate precipitated calcium carbonate to their fields to manage Aphanomyces damping-off and root rot.
In the northern Red River Valley and other areas where sugarbeet root maggot is an issue, growers have the option of using insecticidal seed treatments where insect population is relatively low and at-plant insecticides where root maggot population is higher.
Growers in Minnesota and North Dakota will typically start planting around April 11 when their insurance coverage comes in to effect. However, wet field conditions since early April has delayed land preparation and planting operations. Growers are encouraged to continue best management practices to have a profitable sugarbeet crop in 2022.
Extension Sugarbeet Specialist
NDSU & U of MN
701-231-8596
218-790-8596
