North America: Sugar beet farmers celebrate strong harvest, urge road safety
Fargo’s sugar beet harvest is officially underway, following a challenging early planting season marked by flooding and a record dry fall. Farmers report strong harvest results as they head into October. A key concern is driver safety around farm equipment on roads, with Eric Branch from North Dakota State University Extension urging drivers to give ample space for slowing down and making turns. Farmers plan to continue piling and storing beets for spring.
FARGO — The full stockpile harvest is officially open across the Fargo area for sugar beet farmers. The early planting season, with flooding and followed by a record dry fall, has kept farmers on their toes heading into October. However, they say the harvest results so far have been great.
The main concern now is to remind drivers to be safe around farm equipment on the roads. “We just want to give those drivers some more space, and give them plenty of space ahead of us to slow down and make their turns and everything,” Eric Branch, a sugar beet specialist with North Dakota State University Extension, said.
Sugar beet farmers expect to spend the next couple of weeks piling up the beets and storing them into the spring.
