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At the annual meeting of the Montana Dakota Sugarbeet Growers Association, held on Feb. 26 at the Elks in Sidney, the membership elected Terry Cayko from East Fairview as the new association president. Cayko takes over the duties of president from Don Steinbeisser, who stepped down from the position after serving as president of the association for the past 22 years.

Cayko, who has served on the grower board of directors since 1984, served as vice president of the grower association this past year. He has performed the duties of president since January, when Don Steinbeisser left for Helena to serve as elected representative for House District 100. Cayko expects to continue the work Steinbeisser has done, and hopes to continue to build on the foundations laid by Steinbeisser. I hope I can continue to work on things that Don has worked on and established for us, Cayko remarks. The Sidney area is very respected throughout the country, thanks to Don, and I want to continue in that tradition.

Caykos duties as president of the local association include attending meetings of the American Sugarbeet Growers Association (ASGA), and handling local issues that arise with growers and with Holly Sugar.

Cayko believes the biggest challenge presently facing Sidney growers concerns the bankruptcy of Imperial Sugar. Our concern is making sure that Imperial can get through this so we are stabilized, Cayko comments. We as an association need to work with the company, and help them in whatever way we can.

He continues, We need stabilization. The Sidney area will always grow beets, as we have the ideal climate and excellent soil. Sugarbeets just work here. We need to ensure that sugarbeets remain profitable.

Cayko believes another challenge facing the industry as a whole involves rewriting a new farm bill that protects producers. As a group, we need to make sure we can get a new farm program that has protection not only for sugar, but for all farm commodities, Cayko states. We need to support a new farm bill that works for all producers.

Cayko expects the local association will continue to work on several current issues. We will be challenged with the idea of forming a cooperative, he remarks. Its the way the industry is moving.

He continues, Right now, 70% of all sugarbeet growers belong to a cooperative. With co-ops, growers have more say over their destiny. There also are some tax break advantages available to cooperatives.

Cayko will continue working on national issues through the ASGA; issues such as stuffed molasses coming from Canada and the sugar imports from Mexico. As well, Cayko will attend the ASGA meetings held at various times throughout the year. He also expects to make trips to Washington, D.C. to educate legislators on the sugar industry. As Cayko points out, hell have a lot of work to do on behalf of the local sugarbeet organization. Theres a lot of work in this job and it takes a lot of time, Cayko acknowledges. It makes a person respect the job that Don (Steinbeisser) has done, and the endless hours he put in for the sugar industry as a whole.

Cayko will work to keep all growers, both young and old, involved in association issues. He also plans to keep the board actively involved with association affairs. I want to keep everyone involved, he says. The older fellows have the experience, but the younger guys have the energy to tackle something new.

He continues, We are fortunate that we have a very good board, made up of younger people. Our young people are the future of the industry.