The 2001 sugar beet harvest is looking good following the first day of harvest.
According to Western Sugar senior agriculturist Jerry Darnell, approximately 5,600 tons of beets were delivered during the first 12 hours. Box Butte growers hauled about 3,000 tons, while 2,600 tons crossed the scales at Scottsbluff.

By Wednesday evening, the only sugar percentages available were from the Mitchell tests plots, which indicate 15.8 percent.

Were off to a great start, Darnell said. The weather is good, and the trucks are moving right along. It couldnt be better for the first day.

The only thing lacking, possibly, is the change of ownership that has been in the works for more than a year.

The Rocky Mountain Sugar Growers Cooperative had hoped to own all of Westerns facilities by this harvest, but the closing date on the $48 million purchase has been delayed until Dec. 31, 2001, or possibly Jan. 31, 2002.

In a letter to co-op members this week, the board said delays in funding caused a delay in closing until it was too close to the end of the crop year. This made the borrowing base more difficult to maintain because of repairs, maintenance and a low sugar inventory.

Immediately after the harvest begins and the manufacture of sugar commences, the borrowing base improves, the letter said.

We are negotiating an extension of our Stock Purchase Agreement which will allow a closing any time between now and the end of January or the end of slice, which is expected to be the end of January, the letter continued.

According to the letter, there do not seem to be any operating factors that will substantially impact the financial model, however, the inventory and other activities which were accomplished in connection with the earlier anticipated closing will have to be done again.

Some growers have asked about the projected 2001 installment on grower finance, the letter said. Due to the delay in closing, there will be no payment out of the 2001 crop. This should improve grower income for the year. Those who have already paid cash will receive some interest credit to help compensate for having paid cash ahead of others.

Larry Steward, co-op CEO, said Wednesday afternoon that regardless of any theories about the ownership and processing of the crop and the sugar, the Western Sugar three-year master contract that growers signed in 1999 for the 2000, 2001 and 2002 crops, is the underlying contract for this harvest. There is no discussion on the facilities being leased by the co-op.

I know there are a thousand stories out there, but were still negotiating terms with Tate & Lyle so I cant go into a lot of things, but were very close to finalizing the details, Steward said.