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Below-average prices for beans, corn, soybeans and wheat have
left many farmers counting on sugar beets this year to pay the
bills.
But even that crop has fallen on hard times.
"Our biggest concern right now is the market price,"
said Ronald W. Helmreich, who grows about 800 acres of beets with
his son, Mark, in Frankenlust Township. "Prices are the lowest
I've seen in 20 years."
According to Paul Pfenninger, vice president of agriculture for
Bay City-based Monitor Sugar Co., beet prices have fallen below
historic levels. Through last week, the company had paid $30 per ton
on the 1999 crop with two more payments scheduled before November.
"Historically, we have paid farmers between $35 and $40 per
ton," Pfenninger said. "This year we'll probably come up a
little short."
Monitor Sugar paid $34.97 per ton on the 1998 crop.
Helmreich, who also serves as secretary-treasurer of the Monitor
Sugar Beet Growers Association, said the 2000 crop has much
potential for quality despite a rough start in wet fields.
Increased production costs and surging imports are making it
tougher to make a buck.
"We should have a decent crop this year, but there is no
room for anything to go wrong," Helmreich said. "All of
the factors must fall into place for farmers to even make a
dime."
Rich Sylvester, vice president of the Monitor growers
association, said some farmers decided not to plant beets this year.
"It takes a little more time, money and effort to be a sugar
beet grower these days," Sylvester said. "Some are not
willing or able to make changes in order to remain profitable."
Sylvester said he has changed his crop rotation. Typical rotation
is three years.
"During nonsugar-beet years, I have started planting wheat
and clover and then corn the year before the beets go in,"
Sylvester said. "My production has grown from 14-to-16 tons
five years ago to 19-to-21 tons this year."
While farmers remain optimistic, it took work to get to this
point.
Pfenninger said replanting was about 9 percent higher than
average this year.
"Our contracted farmers replanted 12,943 acres this year, or
18 percent of the total acreage contracted," he said. Early
season rainfall led to heavy soil that dried and prevented the beets
from popping through the soil surface.
"Our farmers abandoned 2,210 acres," Pfenninger said.
When a farmer abandons one crop, it usually means they have
decided to plant something they think will be more profitable, like
corn or soybeans.
The end result for Monitor is 68,456 acres left for harvest.
Helmreich was hit particularly hard by early rain. He said nearly
half of his sugar beet acres required replanting.
"Normally, we have to replant about 5 percent of our
acreage," Helmreich said. "This year was our highest
percentage of replanting ever."
Recent rainfall also has some farmers concerned about the health
of their fields. Helmreich said many farmers can't spray herbicide
to eliminate weeds because their fields are over-saturated.
"Basically, we needed the rain, but we certainly don't need
any more," Helmreich said. "Now it's time for things to
dry up a little."
Pfenninger said the best conditions for beets include a lot of
sun and about 1 inch of water each week.
Pfenninger predicted this year's harvest will run from about
Sept. 25 to sometime in October.
"I know sugar beet farmers feel like they are in a valley
right now," said Pfenninger. "But every valley comes with
a peak."
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