Scottsbluff received more than an inch of rain between Sunday afternoon and Monday evening, relieving pressure on late planted sugarbeets, but halting the harvest of the first cutting of hay.

According to Jim Schild, Extension Educator at the University of Nebraska Panhandle Research and Extension Center, farmers have been about a week early in cutting alfalfa, so the rain should not set back that operation. If it warms up as forecast, the hay that is down will not be harmed.

Other crops, such as corn and sugarbeets, are benefiting from the moisture.

Jerry Darnell, senior agriculturist at Western Sugar in Scottsbluff, said Monday afternoon the 2001 sugarbeet crop is doing very well. Right now, we have only a two percent loss, and that is the lowest ever at this time, Darnell said. This rain is what we needed, and well really be in good shape if we can get some heat now.

The only cloud on the crop is the appearance of some sugarbeet root maggots, but Darnell said those can easily be controlled with spray or granular insecticides.

The picture at Holly Sugar in Torrington is just as good. According to Rick Griffith, agriculture manager, the rain over the past few days is welcome. The fields were getting dry, but the crop is healthy, he said.

Area sugarbeets did sustain a small amount of damage from wind and the frost, but the crop is recuperating and should be in good shape after this moisture, he said.
According to Griffith, Holly fieldmen are scouting for sugarbeet root maggots, but havent found any yet.

Overall, the crop is in good shape, Griffith said.

Reports from south of Torrington late Monday indicated about an inch of rain had fallen during the day, and some pea-sized hail fell in Torrington during the early afternoon.