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Jerry Christenson: Calling It A Career

1/2/2018

Agronomy Manager, Jerry Christenson, reflects upon 40 years with American Crystal

Jerry Christenson

By Mike Spieker

The retirement bells rang this fall for one of American Crystal Sugar Company’s longest and most valued employees. Jerry Christenson, agronomy manager for American Crystal, stepped down after four decades with the United States’ largest beet sugar manufacturer.

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SCHATZKE FARMS: Pioneers of North Dakota’s Prairie

12/28/2017

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Schatzke Farms of Wheatland, N.D. has seen tremendous change over
its 135 years of operation.

schatzke farms, jason schatzke, tanya schatzke, sugarbeet, sugarbeets, sugarbeet news, sugar beet news, sugar farmer, sugar farm, sugar farmers, sugarbeet growers, sugar producer, sugar producers, sugar growers, sugarbeet grower, sugarbeet grower magazine,

Pictured: Jason & Tanya Schatzke. Photo by Mike Spieker.

By Mike Spieker

In 1889, North Dakota became the 39th state in the union when President Benjamin Harrison signed the bill that brought the upper half of the Dakota Territory into statehood. Eight years before that, Schatzke Farms was founded when Johan (pronounced John) Schatzke packed up and set sail across the Atlantic Ocean from his native Germany. He trekked across the east coast and the great plains before settling south of the brand new town of Wheatland, which lies on the western edge of the Red River Valley of North Dakota – about 30 miles west of Fargo.

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2017 Bill Cleavinger INtern: Abby Mueller

8/31/2017

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Editor’s Note: Abby Mueller is the daughter of David and Patricia Mueller of Cummings, ND. David is on the Board of Directors for the American Crystal Sugar Company, Hillsboro District. She is attending North Dakota State University, with a major in Agribusiness and a minor in Crop and Weed Sciences, and she plans to graduate in May of 2019.

Below, Abby outlines her summer as the Bill Cleavinger intern with the ASGA.

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Upper Midwest Cercospora Update

8/31/2017

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Notes from NDSU extension sugarbeet specialist, Mohamed Khan, on the state of Cercospora Leaf Spot

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Last year, Cercospora leaf spot throttled sugarbeet regions across the upper Midwest. Forecasts anticipated Cercospora severity to be equally, if not worse, in 2017. However, things aren’t too terrible in North Dakota and Minnesota as the calendar shifts from July to August.

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The Evolution of Biotech Sugarbeets

8/24/2017

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Reflecting on the past, while looking ahead to a promising future.

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Humans have modified seeds and plants for thousands of years, each species responding and adapting to climatic and environmental changes. The changes were, for the most part, random and uncontrolled, resulting in adaptation of the species, sometimes with unintended results. Introduced in the late 90’s, current biotech seeds have been hand selected for traits, allowing plant and crop production to be controlled. With control, only the targeted, specific traits are produced for qualities benefitting producers and consumers.

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What Happened to Sugar beet Quality in 2016?

5/16/2017

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Sugarbeet quality was reduced in 2016 because of Cercospora leafspot, excess nitrogen and extended warm fall.

sugarbeet, cercospora leaf spot, sugarbeet quality, sugar beet growers, sugar famers, sugar, beet sugar, steven poindexter, michigan state university, michigan state university extension, the sugarbeet grower, mike spieker

Photo courtesy of Mohamed Khan.

Michigan Sugarbeet growers experienced the lowest sugar content since 1986. Multiple factors are involved when it comes to a sugarbeet plant producing and storing sugar. In fact research has found that maximizing beet quality (% Sugar) and recoverable sugar per acre (RWSA) involves more than a dozen controllable factors. To complicate matters, uncontrollable factors also cause beets to react to differing environmental situations each year. These will include: the amount of rainfall, temperature, length of growing season along with disease inoculum level. The interaction of all of these factors will result in varying degrees of impact on yield and quality.

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The Red River Valley Girls

5/8/2017

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The next generation of advocates for agriculture!

red river valley girls, agvocates, sugar beets, sugarbeet grower, sugar producers, agriculture,

By Mike Spieker

Nowadays there are many challenges at the hands of the agriculture industry. Perhaps one of the most difficult issues it has to overcome has been the negative public perception of agriculture over the last several years. From anti-pesticide campaigns to non-GMO movements, the conception of the American farmer is rapidly deteriorating. As more and more people become urbanized, the disconnection between themselves and agriculture has increased, which only makes the problem worse.

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The Sugarbeet Story Behind BĒT Vodka

5/8/2017

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Bet vodka, beet vodka, sugar beet vodka, sugarbeet grower, sugar beets, vodka, sugar producers

By Mike Spieker

Beet sugar is used many products across the country every single day. One particular use that probably does not come to mind right away would be the adult beverage industry. Ben Brueshoff is trying to change that mindset, however, with his brand new vodka brand, BĒT Vodka. With the title carrying the phonetic reading of “beet”, this vodka proudly displays where its roots are from; sugarbeets.

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Comparing Beet Tillage Methods, Nitrogen Management

4/12/2017

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SIDNEY, MT – An important two-year research project is underway at Montana State University's Eastern Ag Research Center in Sidney, Mont., comparing conventional till sugarbeet planting to no-till and strip-till planting methods.
EARC researchers are also studying nitrogen management under these tillage practices.
The study is being funded by a Western Sustainable Agriculture Research Education grant.

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International Sugarbeet Institute Show Comes to Fargo March 22-23

4/12/2017

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Monsanto Executive Vice President Headlines ISBI Speakers

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The International Sugarbeet Institute (ISBI) show returns to the Fargodome in Fargo, N.D. on March 22-23 for the 55th running of the annual sugarbeet trade show. The 100,000 square foot exhibit floor of the Fargodome will be packed with nearly 120 companies featuring over $5 million of products and equipment on display.

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Sugarbeet Feature Stories

Jerry Christenson: Calling It A Career

Agronomy Manager, Jerry Christenson, reflects upon 40 years with American Crystal

SCHATZKE FARMS: Pioneers of North Dakota’s Prairie

Schatzke Farms of Wheatland, N.D. has seen tremendous change over
its 135 years of operation.

2017 Bill Cleavinger INtern: Abby Mueller

Upper Midwest Cercospora Update

Notes from NDSU extension sugarbeet specialist, Mohamed Khan, on the state of Cercospora Leaf Spot

The Evolution of Biotech Sugarbeets

Reflecting on the past, while looking ahead to a promising future.

What Happened to Sugar beet Quality in 2016?

Sugarbeet quality was reduced in 2016 because of Cercospora leafspot, excess nitrogen and extended warm fall.

The Red River Valley Girls

The next generation of advocates for agriculture!

The Sugarbeet Story Behind BĒT Vodka

Comparing Beet Tillage Methods, Nitrogen Management

International Sugarbeet Institute Show Comes to Fargo March 22-23

Monsanto Executive Vice President Headlines ISBI Speakers

Mike Spieker

Archives

"Serving the Sugarbeet Community Since 1963"

Sugarbeet Feature Stories

Agronomy Manager, Jerry Christenson, reflects upon 40 years with American Crystal

Schatzke Farms of Wheatland, N.D. has seen tremendous change over ​its 135 years of operation.

Notes from NDSU extension sugarbeet specialist, Mohamed Khan, on the state of Cercospora Leaf Spot

Reflecting on the past, while looking ahead to a promising future.

Sugarbeet quality was reduced in 2016 because of Cercospora leafspot, excess nitrogen and extended warm fall.

The next generation of advocates for agriculture!

Monsanto Executive Vice President Headlines ISBI Speakers

Mike Spieker

Archives

"Serving the Sugarbeet Community Since 1963"

Schatzke Farms of Wheatland, N.D. has seen tremendous change over
its 135 years of operation.