Thursday, July 29:

The revised Text Message system is now up and running. All previous numbers have been purged so all will need to sign up once again. To do so go to the MDFC web site and click the "Grower Practice Records" tab or click here Grower Practice Records. Next log in using your log in and password and then click the "Messaging" tab and then follow the instructions. For each account you will need to input a name, phone number (twice) and carrier. In addition, you will need to select which station/s you wish to receive info from and whether you wish to receive the info year around or just harvest.

You can also enter an email address to receive the same information on your smart phone or computer.We would prefer users with smart phones/phones with email capability to only enter the email address. Emails are free and text messages have a charge associated with them.

If this still sounds too complicated we will have signup sheets at the Lifter Clinic and the preharvest meetings where you can fill out the information and someone at MDFC will input the info for you.

A letter is going out in the mail Wednesday explaining new harvest restrictions for the upcoming crop. Make sure you read it

over closely since this is new territory for all of us.

The factory groups can be found on the "Harvest page". If you have a conflict with the group you have been assigned to contact Mark Borud @ 218-770-1541 and he will help you out.

Crop condition ranges from good to too good. 3.1 MM tons is the practical max on production if all goes great. At this point it appears this crop will only get better.

You can now sign up for the Lifter Clinic. The dates are Aug 3-4-5 (August 3 date full as of Monday, July 26). All will get underway at 9 am; coffee and goodies ready at 8:30 am. The clinic should be done in a couple of hours. We need to control the crowd size and will use signup to do so. The sign up for the lifter clinic is posted on the Calendar page.

Contact your Agriculturist for more info.

The July sample results and station yields are listed below. The numbers speak for themselves and are very encouraging. The next sample date will be August 19.

July Sample Results:

Estimates by receiving station:

Harvest is still a go for August 17 delivery with an August 20 slice date. The quota looks to be 2.7 ton per acre. The dates

will look something as follows:

Yaggie and Tyler operating dates remain tentative based on road construction. Those growers will be assigned factory groups in order to give them more opportunity to deliver quota. Mark is working out factory groups and I will let you know when that is complete. 

Since Yaggie and Tyler are likely out of the picture for early harvest due to road construction. That means the other stations will likely have two go arounds; dates and quota's yet to be determined.

We plan on running shorter hours along with more days to avoid late afternoon heat during preharvest. Right now we anticipate a normal day to run from 6 am to 2 pm.

A great source of information can be found at the Sugarbeet Research and Education web site. It is located at www.sbreb.org. Currently the summer radio program is underway. Listed below is a link to the schedule:

2010 Extension Sugarbeet Radio Program

I have posted the process MDFC will use to release sugarbeet fields in 2010. It is the same procedure we have used in the past. Your Agriculturist is also aware of the process. No crop insurance agent has the authority to release fields for MDFC. When in doubt, check with your Agriculturist.

Procedure for Crop Release

June 23, 2010

• Fields or portions of fields that are 100% lost can be released effective June 21.
• Fields in which there remains no viable, manageable acreage can be released effective June 21.
• All other fields or portions will not be released until July 13 (Monday).
• Two Agriculturists plus consultation with the VP of Agriculture are required prior to release being granted.
• The grower can destroy acreage 0.1 acres per share below the current overplant without approval at any time, however no release form will be granted by Minn-Dak Farmers Cooperative unless it meets the criteria listed below:

Criteria for Release

Fields may be released when the following conditions are met:

• 75% of the field is lost due to but not limited to wind, flood, disease or insect damage.
• The entire field may be released if the remaining areas not affected are not contiguous and would cause significant management problems for the balance of the crop year.
• The beets are unfit for long-term storage (disease).

Fields will not be released due to poor weed control. Those fields could be rejected at the receiving station if the weeds cannot be removed and left in the field.

July Sample Results:

August Sample results: