Articles tagged under: Southern Minnesota Beet Sugar Cooperative

Sugarbeet Report

Published June 12, 2026

In the Sugarbeet Report, Southern Minnesota Beet Sugar Cooperative Director of Research Mark Bloomquist recaps the spring season. Like many other areas, winds were an issue for SMBSC growers. Bloomquist highlights the importance of a spring-season cover crop. Click here…
Latest NewsCrops

Aggressive CLS Management Plan Advocated

Published June 4, 2026

Southern Minnesota Beet Sugar Cooperative growers were forced to replant five percent of their acres. Director of Research, Mark Bloomquist, said young beets were especially vulnerable during the height of the wind events. "The most affected fields were on the…
Latest NewsCrops

SMBSC Beet Growers Face Perfect Storm

Published January 27, 2026

Southern Minnesota Beet Sugar Cooperative Board Chairman Nate Hultgren says a combination of disease pressure, excess moisture, and weak sugar prices made 2025 one of the most difficult years growers have faced. Speaking at the American Sugarbeet Growers Association annual…
Top StoriesLatest NewsMarketsAg BusinessCropsPolicy

SMBSC Expects Average Beet Crop

Published August 28, 2025

Southern Minnesota Beet Sugar Cooperative plans to begin pre-pile on Tuesday and the slice on Wednesday. "We are looking at pre-pile on the second and starting slice on the third. Right now, all the samples we've pulled show that we…
Top StoriesLatest NewsCrops

SMBSC Harvest Update

Published October 14, 2024

After several brief heat shutdowns, Southern Minnesota Beet Sugar Cooperative is hopeful they can finish the harvest without further interruptions. “We are very confident of our beet storage down here,” says Cody Bakker, ag strategy manager, SMBSC. Yields across the…
Latest NewsCrops

Tough Beet Harvest in Southern Minnesota

Published October 10, 2024

The Red River Farm Network's own Randy Koenen harvested sugarbeets in southern Minnesota this past week. Dry conditions made for tough digging conditions. “I’ve always said I hated digging beets in the mud, but when you can't see where you're…
Latest NewsCrops

SMBSC Crop is ‘Average’

Published September 20, 2024

Southern Minnesota Beet Sugar Cooperative Vice President of Agriculture Jerry Trotter says dry weather has led to an average crop of sugar beets. "We've had dry weather, probably abnormally dry and abnormally warm. The quality of the crop delivered is…
Top StoriesLatest NewsCrops

Navigating Crop Challenges in Southern MN

Published September 17, 2024

The wet start to the season was detrimental to the beet crop in southern Minnesota. “Yields are variable, a little bit on the lighter side as you go south and east across our growing area,” says Mark Bloomquist, research director,…
Latest NewsCrops

News Categories

Latest RRFN Podcasts

Country Morning
Country Morning Presented by CHS Ag Services
Friday, Aug 7th, 2026
Agriculture Today
Agriculture Today Presented by CHS Ag Services
Friday, Aug 7th, 2026
Market Analysis
Friday, Aug 7th, 2026
Weather
PM Weather
Friday, Aug 7th, 2026
This Week In Agriculture
Friday, Aug 7th, 2026
TransFARMation
TransFARMation McKenzie Darling
Saturday, Mar 21st, 2026
Talking Conservation
Talking Conservation-Cover Crops Field Day
Friday, Jul 3rd, 2026
Ag Innovation News Presented by AURI
AURI Ag Innovation News: Puris
Friday, Aug 7th, 2026