PPIOIONNEEREER Fall 2002 root of the BUSINESS TABLE OF CONTENTS Root of the Business …………………………………2 by Mark Flegenheimer, 2002 Crop Update ……………………………………3 President and CEO Research Update……………………………………4–5 Autumn is always an exciting Money For Nothing— time of year at Michigan Sugar— Getting Nitrogen Applications Right …………6–7 with the harvest beginning and Province of Ontario Invests in Industry……………8 factories starting their processing campaign. This year, there is even more excitement Factory News …………………………………………9 than usual. The 2002/2003 campaign marks the first year of cooperative ownership of Michigan Information on Rhizomania ………………………10 Sugar. It is also the 100th year of operation for Sugar Queen …………………………………………11 your Carrollton, Croswell and Sebewaing facilities. The ownership change has put a solid founda- Around the Territory…………………………………11 tion under the company. It will ensure a full supply Grower in the News ……………………………12–14 of beets for your facilities. With “full” acreage year in and year out, we can focus on running the busi- Grower of the Year …………………………………15 ness as efficiently as possible, allowing Michigan Cover Story—Wind Erosion Options …………16–19 Sugar Company to run for another 100 years. The recently passed Farm Bill and the elimina- Tips to Deliver Sugarbeets for tion of the stuffed molasses activity/passage of Long-Term Storage ……………………………20–21 Senator Breaux’s Amendment further solidifies History of the Grower Associations …………22–24 the base upon which your co-op is being built. The new six-year Farm Bill includes an allotment provi- Scholarship Recipients ……………………………24 sion restricting domestic marketing/production. Meet the Staff ……………………………………25–27 These allotments should increase sugar prices. The sweetener trade dispute in Mexico, Sugarbeet Quality ………………………………28–29 unfortunately, remains unresolved. I am hopeful, Community Window…………………………………30 however, a resolution will be reached in the not too distant future. Once our government settles this issue, our industry should enjoy reasonable PIONEER NEWSBEET FALL 2002 • VOLUME 16, NO. 2 prices for the next few years. Your employees and I are enthusiastic and eager NEWSBEET TECHNICAL ADVISORS: to begin the first year together with our growers Vice President—Agriculture: Robert Braem Agronomist: Teresa M. Crook (Editor) —the new owners of Michigan Sugar. We are also looking forward to the upcoming 100th PIONEER NEWSBEET PUBLISHED BY anniversaries at the factories. We hope you MICHIGAN SUGAR COMPANY Agricultural Office, P.O. Box 107, Caro, MI 48723 share in our excitement and pride. Have a safe harvest! COMMUNICATIONS SHOULD BE ADDRESSED TO: Editor, Pioneer Newsbeet, P.O. Box 107, Caro, MI 48723 ABOUT THE COVER PIONEER NEWSBEET is published by Michigan Sugar Company in Saginaw, Small grains provide many different options Michigan. It is prepared for grower members of Michigan Sugar Company, for wind erosion management. (See pages from information obtained from sources which the Company believes to be reliable. However, the Company cannot guarantee or assume any responsibility 16 and 17.) At sugarbeet planting, drilled for the accuracy of the information or be responsible for the results obtained. wheat between the sugarbeet rows provides Mention or illustrations of a special technique, specific equipment or good protection in June, but does it provide products does not constitute endorsement by the Company. Reprinting or adequate protection to sugarbeet seedlings quoting articles appearing in Pioneer Newsbeet is granted with the exception of those items credited to outside sources. from an early May wind? 2 PIONEER NEWSBEET 2002 CROP UPDATE by Robert Braem, it planting in cornstalks, planting in determining when to start Vice President of direction, cover crops or field spraying and the interval between Agriculture selection, growers need to look at subsequent applications. The net their fields and decide how best to result can be more timely sprays Producing this manage this risk. The agricultural and better control of this disease. first ever sugarbeet staff will discuss wind control later In most areas, growers have con- crop for the in this Newsbeet and during the trolled the disease with 1–3 sprays Cooperative has brought on many winter in meetings. and good quality should have new issues along with normal Grower’s weed control practices been insured. challenges associated with beet continue to evolve. Fewer acres Harvest this year will start earlier production in Michigan. While were treated with preemergence than normal, on September 24th. contracting acres, growers and herbicides again this year. Micro- Michigan Sugar will receive over agricultural staff had to account for rated acres and the number of 20,000 more acres and over 10% every share purchased and be applications increased. Many more tons than a year ago. This sure acres contracted matched growers cultivated less frequently early start will ensure uninterrupted exactly. Filling out forms and getting and some did not cultivate at all. supplies of sugar for our customers signatures all ended with 125,000 How did these changes work in this fall and keep campaign from acres contracted this spring. 2002 and will this trend continue? running too long. Significant The first growers went into their This was a tough year to control changes to the early delivery fields near April 1st, planting nearly weeds and maybe not a fair test premium were made for this year. a thousand acres in a week. Rainfall of new weed control practices. Growers will be compensated for stopped planting most days prior Early wet conditions hindered tonnage and sugar losses associat- to April 15th, then planting broke timely micro-rate applications and ed with early harvest. Early delivery loose. Years of experience and spread weed emergence over a premium remains in effect until numerous research trials show longer period of time. Cool growing October 13th or the start of perma- early planting is imperative to high conditions slowed canopy closure nent piling. The Co-op needs yield potential and quality. Growers and small weeds were not shaded growers from all areas to start were anxious to plant and worked out. These late emerging weeds harvesting to provide good supplies hard throughout the second half and escapes from spraying to begin slicing and then adequate of April. Approximately 90% of the appeared above the canopy in volume to maintain full factory crop was planted prior to May 1st. August. Unfortunately, weeds will slice until permanent piling begins. The remaining percentage was be an issue in some fields at har- This first crop year as a coopera- sown between rain showers over vest and growers will be challenged tive has been exciting and chal- the next three weeks. to deliver clean beets. lenging. Growers have produced a The sugarbeet crop emerged Above average rainfall and good crop under varied and at under cold wet conditions. Beet warmer temperatures from late times, difficult conditions. A safe stands were good in most areas June through early August pushed and bountiful harvest will be a and growth remained slow, but crop growth and maturity. Those perfect finish to our year. steady for the first month. Our same conditions promote single most destructive event was Cercospora leafspot and growers wind on May 10th. Most of the began spraying in July. A research 9,000 acres replanted in 2002 project in Michigan called BEETCAST were caused by this storm. Many has tracked weather conditions growers are now re-evaluating conducive to leafspot infection. ways to control wind damage. Be This technology will aid growers FALL 2002 3 research UPDATE by Jim Stewart, development. As the numbers disease control when using fungi- Manager of accumulate over time, the model cides. Stay tuned for additional Research predicts when it is time to spray. information about the BEETCAST We are testing the model this year project. If you have questions or The sugarbeet with the help of Dr. Pitblado and in would like to see the testing site, variety trials look cooperation with Steve Poindexter you can contact myself, Teresa very good this year and Sugarbeet Advancement. As Crook or Steve Poindexter for more and we are confident some of the we learn how BEETCAST fits our information. new varieties will help boost growing area, we will be able to Several chemical companies are sugarbeet yields in the near future. more accurately predict when it is starting to make generic formula- We have several 2nd year varieties time to spray for Cercospora tions of herbicides and fungicides in the trials yielded in the 105% leafspot. This program should that we currently use for controlling range in last year’s tests. At this maximize the dollars spent on weeds and diseases. Ag Value is a time, the only numbers available are the emergence data. Seedex Prompt and the Hilleshog varieties led the way in emergence this year. We will also collect information on T Michigan Sugar Company insect and disease tolerance as well A Official Variety and Plant to Stand Trials—2002 as the yield and quality data. This Emergence Data —10 Trials Combined information will be available the B first week in December. Table 1 L Seedex Prompt=71.2 a shows emergence values for the E Hilleshog E4=66.9 approved varieties in this year’s trials. Even though we spend most of Hilleshog E17=66.6 b y 1 t our time and resources on variety e i r Hilleshog E33=65.5 testing, we are working in some a V other areas which could return t e Beta 5451=61.5 important dividends to our growers. e b r One of these is a prediction model a Hilleshog RH5=60.5 g for determining when to apply our u c S Crystal 1353=60.5 Cercospora leaf spot sprays. It was d developed by Dr. Ron Pitblado from Crystal 648=58.4 Ridgetown College in Ontario and sugarbeet growers in Ontario are Beta 5400=57.6 using it this year.