Growers in the Lovell Factory District made the most of favorable weather in the last week to wrap up the 2020 sugar beet harvest ahead of the latest arctic blast.

Temperatures plunged from highs in the 60s on Saturday to lows in the teens with blizzard conditions early Sunday. But by then most of the beets in the area had been delivered, said Ric Rodriguez, Heart Mountain grower and Western Sugar Cooperative board member. Most beet receiving stations across the district have closed down operations.

Harvesting conditions through the first full week of November were ideal, and growers took full advantage to deliver the balance of the crop after wet ground and freezing temperatures had shut down digging in late October. Beets suffered frost damage — including during an early September freeze — but all have been harvested, and “the Lovell factory is slicing frozen beets well,” Rodriguez said.

“It was another difficult harvest, but we managed through it in good shape,” he said.

Final figures are not available, but Rodriguez estimated the Lovell district growers will post an average yield of just under 28 tons to the acre, with sugar content between 19.2% and 19.5%.

Elsewhere in Western Sugar’s four-state growing region, Colorado and Nebraska harvests have been completed. Montana digging for delivery to the Billings factory has been halted with about 20 days of frozen beets in piles and waiting processing.

“Harvest has not been called by any means in Billings,” Rodriguez said. “Weather is the factor. It may warm back up again, and as soon as frozen beets are processed, they will take another stab at it.”