Beet harvest sets records

POWELL (WNE) — Sprawling sugar beet piles across Park and Big Horn counties tell the story of a record 2025 harvest coming to an end in November. 

Based on the numbers so far, this harvest looks certain to beat the previous best tonnage year in the Western Sugar Cooperative’s Lovell factory district history. 

With fewer than 300 acres left to be harvested, the average tonnage for the district is sitting at 32.11 tons per acre. 

This would be only the second time Lovell district growers have ever harvested more than 30 tons to the acre. The 2025 crop shot past the projected forecast from the company’s August sampling, a testament to what has been a near picture perfect harvest season. 

The previous record crop in the Lovell district was 30.07 tons per acre in 2016.

“This year’s crop is huge in comparison,” said Ric Rodriguez, Heart Mountain grower and a member of the board of directors of the four-state Western Sugar Cooperative. 

“There were some 40-ton yields, I’ve been told, and a lot of upper 30’s, but of course, there are always some poorer tonnage beets,” he said, adding, “Also, that 32-ton average includes early harvest beets in September where the yields aren’t quite as good.” 

Sugar content is running 18.32% which is somewhat lower than the projected 19.01%, Rodriguez noted. 

The remaining beets to be harvested are in the Lovell and Emblem areas where moisture has slowed digging.