The 49th International Sugarbeet Institute, held March 16 and 17 at the Fargodome in Fargo, N.D., attracted an estimated crowd of more than 3,200 during its two-day run.  That was up by about 500 from the 2010 attendance.
    A total of 126 companies exhibited at the 2011 ISBI. Eighty-five were booth exhibitors and 41 were floor exhibitors.  As always, a broad spectrum of sugarbeet-related products and services were on display — everything from seed and chemical to tractors and harvesters, from site-specific system providers to field drainage companies.
    Luther Markwart, executive vice president of the American Sugarbeet Growers Association, was this year’s featured speaker.  He drew large crowds both days for his presentation, which covered the current status of Roundup Ready sugarbeet litigation, crop insurance developments, trade policy and the next farm bill.
    The 22-person committee that plans and hosts the annual ISBI is comprised of individuals from several segments of the Minnesota/North Dakota beet industry.  There are grower and staff personnel from each of the region’s three sugar co-ops, university sugarbeet specialists, grower association staff, and representatives from the booth and floor exhibitor communities.  Mohamed Khan, sugarbeet specialist with North Dakota State University and the University of Minnesota, is committee chairman. Crookston, Minn., grower Bob Cournia is exhibits coordinator
    The 50th International Sugarbeet Institute will be held on March 14 and 15, 2012, at the Alerus Center in Grand Forks, N.D.              

Left:  Albert Sims (right), director of operations at the University of Minnesota’s Northwest Research and Outreach Center. Crookston, presents the UM President’s Award to American Crystal Sugar Company in recognition of American Crystal’s longstanding support of the university. Curt Haugen, Crystal board vice chairman, accepted the award.

Right:  Tom Knudsen, vice president-agriculture with Minn-Dak Farmers Cooperative and ISBI committee member, is shown with his collection of Sugarbeet Institute caps from the past 25 years.