Harvest of 2024 sugar beets was completed by both Wyoming and Montana growers for Western Sugar Cooperative Thursday, Nov. 7, while one-day sugar production records were set at both Lovell and Billings factories.

Lovell factory district growers fell just short of yielding 30 tons per acre, posting a final tonnage of 29.3 tons per acre. Sugar content in the Lovell district crop was a record 19.21%, contributing to a record pounds of sugar per acre.

“Yield was down from earlier projections, but the sugar content and quality were excellent,” said Ric Rodriguez, Heart Mountain grower and Western Cooperative beet board member.

In the Billings factory district, growers averaged 32.2 tons to the acre, with 18.77% sugar.

“Piles look very good at this point as far as long term storage,” Rodriguez added. “The weather forecast looks good for storage conditions. Down south in Colorado and Nebraska, they are 99% complete with the harvest, but received quite a bit of moisture last week.”

Factory performance has been up to the task.

“The factories are running very well, and barring any major setbacks, the growers are looking at a very good payment for the 2024 crop,“ Rodriguez said.

Western Sugar posted record sugar production of 17,425 hundred-weights of sugar in one day at its Billings factory on Nov. 4 and booked one-day Lovell factory record production of 10,987 hundred-weights of sugar on Nov. 2. Over its four-state region of Wyoming, Montana, Colorado and Nebraska, the cooperative produced an all-time record of 61,387 hundred-weights of sugar on Nov. 4.

— Dave Bonner