The 2001 sugarbeet crop is off to a good start, in spite of high winds early last week. Farmers are thankful they had moisture in which to plant, even though some delay resulted from the three snow and rain storms that visited the Panhandle and eastern Wyoming in April and early May.

By Friday, 100 percent of the Western Sugar crop was in the ground, with Holly Sugar Company growers close behind at 98 percent.

"We had 135 acres of replants," said Jerry Darnell, senior agriculturist for Western Sugar in Scottsbluff. "There was some girdling from the wind whipping the small plants, but the fields were rough and that helped keep the damage down.

"Were in better condition now than weve been in the past couple of years," he said.

In both growing areas, some fields planted before the storms are being sprayed and cultivated, while a few farmers had to wait until the ground dried, and have just planted the last of their fields.

"The wind sapped moisture out of the seed bed, but it isnt enough to cause concern." said Rick Griffith, Holly Sugar agriculture manager in Torrington. "The crop is looking extremely good."