American Crystal wraps up 2026 harvest
Lila Johnson is a seasoned business reporter with a background in finance, having graduated from the University of North Dakota. She has previously worked with local business journals and focuses on small business success stories and entrepreneurial initiatives.
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Crews harvest sugarbeets on R&B Growers JV farms near Fisher, Minnesota, on Monday, Oct. 12, 2026.Eric Hylden / Grand Forks Herald By Jenny Schlecht Today at 8:15 AM Listen Comments Share Share this article News Reporting News Reporting Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. The Trust Project What is this? Dry harvest conditions made for an efficient sugarbeet harvest for American Crystal Sugar Co., even with warmer weather keeping much of the digging and piling to nighttime.Farmers for American Crystal Sugar wrapped up the 2026 harvest on Saturday, Oct. 24, said general agronomist Joe Hastings. Early figures show the crop averaged 27.3 tons per acre, 17.9% sugar content and loss to molasses of 1.2%. ADVERTISEMENT "We brought in 10.8 million tons," Hastings said. Crews harvest sugarbeets on R&B Growers JV farms near Fisher, Minnesota, Monday, Oct. 12, 2026.Eric Hylden / Grand Forks Herald According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture's National Agriculture Statistics Service's weekly Crop Progress report. North Dakota farmers were near completion with sugarbeet harvest by Oct. 25, with 96% dug, compared to the five-year average of 83%. Minnesota farmers were at 86%, compared to the average of 90%.Nationwide, farmers in the top sugarbeet producing states were 75% done harvesting beets by Oct. 25, compared to 74% on the five-year average. Idaho farmers were exactly on pace with the five-year average at 62% completed, while Michigan farmers' progress lagged at 30%, compared to 42% on average. More sugarbeet news: American Crystal's East Grand Forks factory celebrates 100 harvests 2d ago Opportunities exist in the chaos of politics 2d ago Heat slows sugarbeet harvest progress in region 6d ago American Crystal Sugar's farmers this year planted 398,000 acres of the crop. By Oct. 19, 98% of the crop had been harvested and hauled to piling sites. The Moorhead, Minnesota-based farmer-owned company has factories in East Grand Forks, Moorhead and Crookston in Minnesota, along with Hillsboro, North Dakota, and Drayton, North Dakota.