| The local sugar beet harvest, completed Oct. 29, is a real
"before" and "after" story.
Prior to the Oct. 4 freeze, 396,000 tons of beets had rolled into the
Holly Sugar processing plant and receiving grounds. After the freeze,
527,500 tons of beets have been received under a separate contract.
Overall the yield was good, averaging 22 tons per acre. The sugar
content tested at 18.35 percent before and 18.39 percent after. According
to Holly Sugar Agricultural Manager Russ Fullmer, a little more than 3,000
acres were left in the ground as growers opted to accept insurance
payments rather than harvest the beets suffering frost damage.
The success of the harvest is dependent on storage until processing of
the damaged beets. On Oct. 11, the factory started processing the damaged
beets, saving the healthy beets until later.
Fullmer said, "We have our fingers crossed that these beets will
hold up until we get them processed." Cold weather will slow the
deterioration. The factory is utilizing infrared photography to spot
possible hot spots in the beet storage piles, "If we catch it soon
enough we can try to get those beets processed on a priority basis before
they turn to mush," Fullmer said.
Recent wet weather complicates the rehaul of beets. Fullmer said,
"The trucks struggle to get in and out of the muddy receiving
stations and the water isn't great for the piles."
"We're trailblazing here. No other growing area has tried to
stockpile as many damaged beets as we are this season." The factory
is running efficiently, but it is too early to tell the economic impact of
the freeze of 2000. "The better we do here and more sugar we process
the better the farmers will come out on this."
The ripple effect in the community, at financial institutions and
downtown may be felt keenly, especially during the holiday season. |