Northern Wyoming Sugar Beet Harvest Mostly Complete

POWELL, Wyo. (AP) — The sugar beet harvest in northern Wyoming is nearing completion with about 70 percent of the crop in hand on Friday.

Western Sugar Cooperative senior agriculturist Mark Bjornestad says tonnage is going to be just under 29 tons (26.3 metric tons) per acre. Tonnage had been forecast to come in at a record 31 tons (28.1 metric tons) per acre in the Lovell factory district.

But Bjornestad says the sugar content of the beets is looking to hit a record high at nearly 18 percent on average with some growers reporting 20 percent sugar.

Cold and snow slowed the harvest some over the weekend but growers resumed harvesting this week.

Bjornestad says the harvest in the Lovell district should be 90 percent done by week's end.