Sidney Sugars Agricultural Manager Russ Fullmer was much more optimistic about this year’s sugarbeet crop last week than he had been. Sunshine and warmer temperatures have the beet fields looking much healthier. “Even the little ones are growing now,” Fullmer said. Even though the rains have been wonderful, the crop needs heat. The best fields should have leaves touching in the row by July 4th. That’s a normal indication of the health of the crop but Fullmer said that some of the new Roundup ready varieties don’t leaf out as much, making this standard a little unreliable.
There was some hail damage to approximately 300 acres, most of it slight, the week of June 19.
“We’re looking at an average to above average crop,” Fullmer said. Estimates taken last week were better than expected with agricultural staff making a prediction of 26.5 tons per acre for this year’s crop.
Sidney Sugars staff will be busy the month of July with root samples starting the second week. Fullmer will be presenting at the Field Day in Sidney July 18, and a staff member will be attending Ag school in California.
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