09-24-01: As harvest begins, growers face a number of issues

PAUL -- Sugar beet growers are facing a myriad of concerns as harvest gears up this year. Some follow the normal course of getting a crop out of the ground and into the market, but others are in response to specific challenges targeting this year's tubers.
      For one, rumors persist among some growers that the herbicide Oust has made its way to the food chain, even though the Idaho Department of Agriculture confirmed early on in the investigation that the chemical does not affect the food.
      Oust was the herbicide used by Bureau of Land Management last fall on burned ground following an August wildfire. It was sprayed to control weeds from growing back into the burned area, but wind blew the chemical into neighboring fields and as much as 38,000 acres of crops were damaged.
      "Several commodities have been tested and no residues of Oust were found," said Bob Spencer, program manager of the Idaho Department of Agriculture pesticide enforcement program.
      In addition to sugar beets, commodities tested were barley, wheat and potatoes.
      Terry Miller, owner of Miller Research in Minidoka, said any rumors of Oust getting into the food chain are unsubstantiated.
      "This is a product that doesn't go into the plant and leaves no detectable residues," Miller said.
      Miller's private company has sent in many samples, which all were negative for residue, he said.
      In addition other private research companies, including Agriserve, Inc. and some malting companies, have all received negative results for residue on samples they submitted to laboratories, Miller said.
      As the ISDA winds up an investigation on the extent of the damage and beet and potato harvests begin, Spencer said there are no restrictions placed on harvesting crops.
      "The FDA has determined no food safety issue," said John Schorr, ag manager for Amalgamated Sugar Company's Paul factory.
      While it has been established that there is no food safety issue, compensation for losses is still being determined.
      Idaho's congressional delegation is working to get an appropriations bill through the legislature, that would compensate farmers for losses attributed to Oust, Spencer said.
      Compensation based on a three-year average has been proposed, Schorr said, but he added that until that has been established the issue of how compensation will be made is speculation.
      However there are several other issues facing beet growers, Schorr said. Quality this year is not looking good, he added.
      "At first glance there appears to be a reduction in yield," he said. "But it is kind of hard to say right now."
      As growers get further into harvest more will be known, Schorr said.
      "Some are coming in with numbers not good at all," he said.
      Other environmental factors such as weather played a part in yields, Schorr said.
      "There is a wide range of goods and not-so-goods coming in," he said. "Some are normal and good-sized, others are not."
      Yields and size look good on beets coming in from American Falls. Harvest starts Monday on beets south of the River.
      "It is just a matter of time before we know how it will look," he said.
      Compared to last year, which Schorr called exceptional, this year is more average.
      "It is still a good crop," he said.
      Growers are also wondering about prices and disruption of markets following the terrorist attacks on New York City and Washington, D.C. last week.
      Schorr does not think the recent terrorist attacks will affect the price.
      "Sugar is anybody's guess," he said. "I can't visualize it (the attacks) being a problem (for price).
      The recent attacks could in fact help the price of domestic sugar and other commodities, said Mark Duffin, executive director of Idaho Sugarbeet Growers.
      "It should make Americans more aware of self sufficiency in your food supply," Duffin said. "Dependency on foreign food can be a scary prospect."
      Idaho Sugarbeet Growers has always seen the farm program as being as much of a security issue as anything discussed by Congress, he said.
      "This reemphasizes that point," Duffin said. "It is essential for the welfare and security of our nation."

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