Agriculture officials say the amount of sugarbeets being grown in the Idaho this year will likely be down 40% from last year as farmers switch to more lucrative crops like corn, dry beans and grain.
In a report released this week, the U.S. Department of Agriculture says sugarbeet production in Idaho is expected to be 3.48 million tons – the lowest production in the state since 1984. Additionally, officials say the harvested acreage of sugarbeets in Idaho has dropped to its lowest level since 1977 at 117,000 acres.
While production is down sharply, executives with Amalgamated Sugar Company say there have so far been no layoffs at three Idaho plants that process sugarbeets. (AP)