The Top Ten Beet Growers Awards were held on Wednesday, January 14 at the Elks in Sidney. Recognized were the top five growers with 50- 282 acres and the top five growers with more than 282 acres. Tons per acre, sugar percentage and rating were all factors in determining who would be recognized. Before the growers were announced, Russ Fullmer of Crystal Sugars reviewed the 2014 season noting that it’s one of the best in years in terms of sugar content and tonnage. The record breaking crop can be attributed largely to the ideal weather, with the exception of some heavy rains during the beginning of harvest and high winds which damaged two beet piler booms, one in Pleasantview and one in Culbertson. Farmers were able to plant about ten days earlier than usual, and while moisture was a concern, spring rains quickly put worries to rest. To everyone’s pleasant surprise there were no damaging hail storms and September brought warm days and cool nights which was great for sugar content, the average being 18.44%. Roundup Ready Beets were largely credited for the tonnage which was 30.4 tons per acre or approximately 30,000 plants per acre. Even fields that had bouts with disease recovered nicely and had a good yield. Once the early harvest rains dissipated, harvest went smoothly and steadily and ended on October 25. The Top Growers have been recognized annually since 1985, the same year Fullmer started at the factory in Sidney and he notes that this is one in a series of finalities for him as he will be retiring at the end of 2015. The Top Five Growers with 50-282 acres are 1) Don and Doreen Snideman, 2) Rob Schilling, 3) Rodney Hurley & TNT Farms, 4) John Hoffman, and 5) 3 G Johnson Farms. The Top Five Growers with more than 282 acres are 1) DC Farms & T&J Farms, 2) Texas Red Enterprises, 3) Tim Karst, 4) 6J Farms, and 5) Harvey, James, John and Pat Asbeck. Congratulations to all the Top Growers of 2014.
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