The Maribo brand of sugarbeet seed is back in the U.S. market after a two decade absence. Crop Production Services (CPS) is the sole U.S. distributor for Maribo seed, with Mitch Wilson— Mitch.Wilson@cpsagu.com — serving as national brand manager. John Prigge is market manager for the North Dakota division, which includes northwestern Minnesota. 

For the 2014 season, Maribo has varieties available commercially in the American Crystal and Southern Minnesota growing regions. As of 2013, varieties also were being tested in the Western Sugar South, Amalgamated Sugar and Michigan markets, with plans to eventually expand testing into other markets as well. 

Maribo’s headquarters are located in Holeby, Denmark.

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David H. Roche, former president and CEO of Minn-Dak Farmers Cooperative, is “Sugar Man of the Year ─ 2013.” Roche, who played a major role in both the beet and cane sectors of the sugar industry, received the coveted Dyer Memorial Award at an early December Sugar Club dinner in New York City.

Roche received degrees from Saginaw Valley College and Michigan State University. He joined Michigan Sugar Company in 1976 and moved up quickly through the ranks. In 1994 he became the company’s president and chief operating officer and, as a result of acquisitions, was also involved in the management of the cane sugar refiner Savannah Foods and Imperial Sugar. He became president of Minn-Dak Farmers Cooperative in 2001 and expanded and improved the cooperative’s operations. 

Roche served as a member of the United States sugar industry’s Mexico Task Force, where he advised government officials on both sides of the border regarding the integration of the sweetener market. He also served as a trustee and senior vice president of the United States Beet Sugar Association and on the boards of the Sugar Association, United Sugars Corporation and Midwest Agri- Commodities. 

Roche is the 56th recipient of the Dyer Memorial Award, which is sponsored by the Sugar Club, an international sugar forum.

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The 2014 Michigan-Ontario Sugarbeet Research Reporting Session is scheduled for January 30 at the Double Tree Hotel in Bay City, Mich. This eighth annual reporting session will cover current sugarbeet research being conducted in the Great Lakes region. The program runs from 9:00 a.m. until about 4:00 p.m. Meal reservations are required.

For more details, contact Steve Poindexter, Michigan State University Extension, Saginaw at (989) 758-2500 or poindex2@anr.msu.edu. 

Coming up on February 18 is the 2014 Bean & Beet Symposium held at the Horizons Conference Center in Saginaw. The program for this event runs from about 9:30 a.m. until 3:00 p.m. with a break for lunch. The Bean & Beet Symposium, a free event, is a large agricultural trade show of about 100 vendors.

Approximately 10 university, bean company & sugar company presenters typically speak at the symposium on topics relating to the production and marketing of sugarbeets and beans. 

The contact person for this year’s event is Karlie VanPoppelen, Michigan State University Extension, Saginaw. She can be reached at 989-758-2500 or vanpopp8@anr.msu.edu.

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