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Response from sugar beet growers has been positive enough to move
forward with a feasibility study that would explore a possible
purchase of Western Sugar. Randon Wilson, the attorney representing
the Rocky Mountain Sugar Beet Growers Cooperative, said they are
"very gratified by the response they have received from the
growers."
The cooperative, which represents Western Sugar growers from
Nebraska, Colorado, Wyoming and Montana, is looking into a possible
purchase of Western Sugar after Tate and Lyle announced the company
was for sale.
Representatives from all four states were elected to serve on the
cooperative's board and letters were sent to growers and landlords
asking them to contribute $2 a planted acre to fund the feasibility
study.
Wilson said although the final tally isn't finished, there is
plenty of support to move forward. The Board will meet next Thursday
to plan their next step. Wilson added they are still getting
contributions in the mail and expect to continue receiving them
through the end of the week.
"We are approaching what is a satisfactory number of
acres," he said. "Factoring in the landowners, we may end
up with as many responses as the number of acres in the
ground," he noted. The attorney said most of the responses he
has received have been very positive. "We have received very
few negative responses," he said, noting some landowners have
indicated they are not interested, hoping their growers will pick up
the delivery rights. Wilson said after the final tally is in, the
growers who didn't respond will be sent another letter giving them a
final opportunity to participate in the cooperative.
"We want to give the growers who didn't respond a final
opportunity to participate and not let life pass them by,"
Wilson said.
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