Sugar beet farmers anxiously waiting for sunnier days

Getting close
Farmers in the Red River Valley are waiting for late spring snows to melt and drier weather, so they can get into the fields.
MPR Photo/Mark Steil

In a typical year, most of the 400,000 acres of sugar beets would already be sprouting. This year much of the crop has yet to be planted.

American Crystal Sugar Company President David Berg said growers are getting more anxious with each passing day.

"I've been out trying to visit a few growers in their shops, and they're getting pretty antsy," Berg said. "I saw one guy replacing bearings on a fishing boat trailer, because his farm equipment was ready three weeks ago. He's just nervously waiting to get going. They're all nervously waiting to get going."

Berg said in most areas farmers need about three days of warm sunny weather before they can start planting.