VERS 
 
 C A L I F O R N 
 
 :■, 
 
 \WJ 
 
 
 
 
 
 CALIFORNIA AGRICULTURAL 
 Experiment Station 
 Extension Service 
 
 CIRCULAR 562 
 
 CAECAG562 1-16 (1973) 
 
Sugar beets, a major field crop in California, are grown on more than 300,000 acres. 
 This circular briefly describes federal legislation which regulates sugar production 
 in the U. S., and examines production trends in California. Grower-processor relations, 
 costs of production, returns to growers, and factors important in the production of the 
 crop are also discussed. 
 
 LOCATION OF FACTORIES 
 and SUGAR BEET ACREAGE 
 in CALIFORNIA 
 
 Numbers indicate the average number 
 of acres (to the nearest 1,000) har 
 vested in that county during the 5- 
 year period 1965-1969. 
 
 Factory location 
 
 March, 1973 
 
 THE AUTHORS: 
 
 F. J. Hills is Extension Agronomist, Department of Agronomy and Range Science, 
 University of California, Davis. 
 
 S. S. Johnson is Agricultural Economist, Farm Production Economics Division, 
 Economic Research Service, U.S.D.A., stationed at University of California, Davis. 
 
THE SUGAR BEET INDUSTRY 
 IN CALIFORNIA 
 
 Introduction : U. S. Sugar Legislation 
 
 The Sugar Act P er cent * s to De supplied by some 30 
 
 ~ . , , . r . foreign countries. 
 
 Production and marketing oi sugar in rp, , . . . j 
 , tto . i iii t^i i l ne basic apportionment among do- 
 the U. o. is regulated by the federal .. j • x n u 
 o a , in ; n ii. T^m mestic producers is as iollows, when quo- 
 bugar Act oi 1948, as amended in 1971. . ..in nn nnn u ** i 
 rril & ' ._. tas total 11,200,000 short tons, raw value: 
 the Act has three purposes: (1) to as- 
 sure American consumers adequate sup- Short tons, 
 plies of sugar at reasonable prices; (2) to Area raw value 
 
 maintain and protect the welfare of the Domestic beet sugar 3,406,000 
 
 domestic sugar industry; and (3) to pro- Mainland cane sugar 1,539,000 
 
 mote the export trade of the United States. Hawaii 1,110,000 
 
 The Sugar Act directs the Secretary Puerto Rico 885,000 
 
 of Agriculture to determine, for each cal- Total 6,910,000 
 
 endar year, the amount of sugar needed 
 
 to meet the requirements of consumers in Control and management of the 
 the continental United States and to at- 
 
 tain a specified price objective. This de- domestic sugar supply 
 termination is to be made in October Procedures are specified in the Act to 
 preceding the calendar year, and at such control domestic supply after the deter- 
 other times during the year as may be mination of the area quotas. These steps 
 required to attain the price objective. are: 
 
 The price objective refers to a price T i i . i o 
 
 f , . , 1 1 A l • / • In each domestic area, the Secretary 
 
 lor raw sugar which would take into ac- . ,. , , . , . ; 
 
 L - . r t , can establish domestic marketing ai- 
 
 count the ratio oi such price and an aver- , , m ° i 
 
 c . . . i f • -it lotments when necessary. Ihese al- 
 
 age ox the parity index oi prices paid by , / ,, 
 
 x j / i i • • j rpi lotments serve to assign or allot 
 
 larmers and wholesale price index, lhe . r , r i i 
 
 . , . „ a specific share ol the domestic 
 
 consumption estimate thus is set annually f . , 
 
 r .1 i f it -ii v \ marketing quota to the various pro- 
 
 at a hgure that, hopelully, will adiust i i . .-». , 
 
 i r j j • i cessors, thus placing a ceiling on the 
 
 supply ol sugar to demand in such a way r r °, . , D 
 
 . i . i. -i amount ol sugar which a company 
 as to bring sugar prices in line with « o i « r . 
 , . .1 x , r i ,.- can sell, buch allotments lor main- 
 changes in the cost oi iarm production , , , , 
 
 t , * ri-- land cane and beet sugar were in 
 and the cost of living. ~ & 
 rk .u > j .• effect as of 1971. 
 Unce the next year s domestic consump- 
 tion has been determined, the total * Shares of the area marketing quota 
 amount of sugar it represents is allocated can be assigned to producers as acre- 
 to both domestic and foreign sources of a g e allotments. These allotments are 
 supply according to a predetermined for- known as "proportionate shares," 
 mula. Under the 1971 amendment, 62 but they have not been imposed 
 per cent of domestic consumption is as- since 1966. 
 
 signed to the several segments of the State and county Agricultural Stabli- 
 
 domestic industry, and the remaining 38 zation and Conservation Service offices 
 
 [3] 
 
(ASCS) are responsible for the adminis- 
 tration of farm proportionate shares when 
 in effect, as well as for conditional pay- 
 ment parts of the program. When pro- 
 portionate shares are not in effect, the 
 quantity of beets grown is determined by 
 individual contracts between farmer and 
 processor. 
 
 Enforcing the program 
 
 The tax-and-payment system helps en- 
 force the various regulations imposed on 
 the growers under the Act. An excise tax 
 of 53 cents per 100 pounds of refined 
 sugar is collected on all sugar marketed 
 in the U. S. In 1969, sugar beet farmers 
 received $90 million out of $109 million 
 in collected excise tax. To qualify for a 
 "conditional" payment (a portion of such 
 excise tax collected) a grower must: re- 
 main within his proportionate share allot- 
 ment if imposed; produce evidence that 
 the minimum wage established by the 
 
 Secretary of Agriculture was met in pro- 
 ducing his sugar beet crop; and, finally, 
 not employ children under 14 years of 
 
 age- 
 Conditional payments are based on the 
 "commercially recoverable" sugar pro- 
 duced by the growers — that is, the 
 quantity of sugar that can be recovered 
 in processing. A sliding scale of payments 
 exists which reduces payment to larger 
 farms. For the first 350 tons of raw sugar 
 produced, the base payment rate is 80 
 cents per hundredweight. After this the 
 rate decreases, reaching a low of 30 cents 
 for sugar in excess of 30,000 tons. 
 
 Provisions are also made to reduce risk 
 to growers due to weather, insects, and 
 crop diseases. When the farmer suffers 
 from these natural causes so that his 
 acreage has to be abandoned, or so that 
 his production becomes seriously de- 
 ficient, he may then qualify for certain 
 payments under the Act. 
 
 SUGAR PRODUCTION TRENDS IN CALIFORNIA 
 
 Sugar beets are grown in 31 California 
 counties from Tehama in the north, not 
 far from the Oregon border, south to Im- 
 perial on the Mexican border. In the 5- 
 year period of 1965-69, 38 per cent of the 
 acreage was grown in the north central 
 valley, from Stanislaus County north; 27 
 per cent in the south central valley, Mer- 
 ced County south to Kern; 24 per cent 
 in the irrigated desert area of southern 
 California, primarily Imperial County; 
 and 11 per cent in the coastal counties. 
 Compared to the 1955-59 5-year period, 
 acreage increased by 12 per cent in the 
 south Central Valley region and by 2 per 
 cent in the southern desert, while decreas- 
 ing by 6 per cent in the north central 
 valley and by 8 per cent in the coastal 
 region. 
 
 With the removal of planting restric- 
 tions in 1962 and an increase in the price 
 
 of sugar beets, acreage expanded sharply 
 to a high of 350,000 acres in 1964. In 
 1964, 67 per cent more acres were har- 
 vested than in 1960, but during this same 
 period daily slicing capacity of factories 
 increased only about 11 per cent. Sugar 
 beets from the expanded acreage have 
 been processed to some extent by larger 
 capacity, but mostly by extending the 
 period over which beets are harvested. 
 The principal technique for increasing 
 the length of factory run has been the de- 
 velopment of the practice of overwinter- 
 ing spring and early summer planted 
 crops for harvest the following spring. 
 This practice is now used extensively in 
 certain areas of the north and south cen- 
 tral valleys. As an example of how over- 
 wintering has increased factory run, one 
 plant averaged 130 days of operation per 
 crop year before beets were overwintered. 
 
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 i_J — U — i — 1_ 
 1946 48 50 
 
 i 
 52 
 
 J i I i L_i I i I i I i I i I i I 
 
 54 * 56* * 5flf * 60* * 62 64 * 66? 68 10 
 
 Acres of sugar beets in California. The relative contribution of a production region is indicated 
 by the area shown for each. Specific regional percentages are given for certain years. SD = south- 
 ern desert; C = coastal; SCV= south central valley; NCV = north central valley. Asterisks refer to 
 years in which Sugar Act acreage restrictions were in effect. Source: U. S. Department of Agricul- 
 ture, Agricultural Stabilization and Conservation Service. 
 
 with a maximum length of run of 165 
 days. Since the start of overwintering, 
 this plant has operated as many as 234 
 days in a single crop year, and has aver- 
 aged 191 days, an average increase in 
 days of operation per crop year of 47 per 
 cent. 
 
 Also contributing to the increase in 
 the length of factory operations has been 
 an increase in acres harvested both 
 earlier and later than was the custom in 
 several areas, and the establishment of 
 sugar beet culture in areas of the state 
 where beets can be harvested other than 
 at the peak of harvest in. the principal 
 area supplying a factory. For example, 
 some 2,000 acres are grown annually in 
 the high desert valley surrounding Lan- 
 caster in Los Angeles County. The dry 
 winters of this area permit harvesting at 
 times when rain prevents field work in 
 
 other areas. In the Imperial Valley and 
 in areas of the San Joaquin Valley, some 
 acreage is contracted specifically for an 
 early or late harvest. Current factory ca- 
 pacity is 40,100 tons of beets per day. 
 This is sufficient capacity to process the 
 normal production from 330,000 acres if 
 each factory operates 165 days. 
 
 A decline in price, the imposition of 
 acreage allocations in 1965, plus prob- 
 lems associated with holding overwin- 
 tered beets in the ground for extended 
 periods undoubtedly contributed to the 
 decline in acreage to 210,000 in 1967. 
 Prices rose to all-time highs in 1967-71 
 and were accompanied by increases in 
 acreage to 288,000 in 1970 and 331,000 
 in 1971. 
 
 Root and sugar yields 
 
 The 3-year moving averages in the graph 
 
 [6] 
 
ROOTS ANNUAL 
 TONS ACRE RECORD 
 
 23 
 21 
 19 
 
 n 
 
 \5 
 
 13 
 
 % 
 
 SUCROSE 
 
 18 
 
 3-YEAR 
 MOVING 
 AVERAGE 
 
 ROOTS 
 
 100 LB/ACRE 
 -\80 
 
 70 
 
 60 
 
 50 
 
 % SUCROSE 
 
 1946 48 50 52 54 56 58 60 62 64 66 68 
 
 Average production per harvested acre and the sugar content of sugar beets in California. A 
 point on a moving average line for a given year is an average of that year, the preceding year, 
 and the following year. Source: U. S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Stabilization and 
 Conservation Service. 
 
 above show that root production per acre 
 increased 25 per cent from 1946 through 
 1958 but increased little over the next 
 11 years. During the same period, sucrose 
 concentration declined nearly 2 percent- 
 age points. As a result, gross sugar pro- 
 duction per acre increased 13 per cent by 
 1958 but made little gain through 1969. 
 
 Some probable reasons for the lack of 
 improvement in sugar production in the 
 1960s in spite of an increase in use of 
 improved technology by sugar beet farm- 
 ers were: (1) increased damage due to 
 virus diseases, principally the sugar beet 
 yellows virus which lowers root produc- 
 tion and decreases sucrose concentration ; 
 (2) overly-delayed plantings in some 
 areas to escape virus diseases; (3) newer 
 areas coming into production where pro- 
 duction per acre has been low due to lack 
 of irrigation water; (4) lower yields 
 where beets are harvested at other than 
 optimum times; (5) increase in number 
 of inexperienced growers due to rapidly 
 
 expanding acreage; (6) shift of some 
 acreage from the highly productive 
 coastal area to areas of lower production 
 of the south Central Valley; and (7) in- 
 crease in use of nitrogenous fertilizers, 
 which tends to lower sucrose concentra- 
 tion. Statewide average root yields were 
 25.2 and 24.1 tons per acre in 1970 and 
 1971 respectively, with sucrose concen- 
 trations above 15 per cent. This may be 
 the start of an improved trend in produc- 
 tivity. Yields of 30 and more tons per 
 acre are common in all areas of the state, 
 indicating a potential for higher average 
 root yields. 
 
 Root yield and sucrose content of beet 
 roots varies somewhat depending on pro- 
 duction region. In general, root yield is 
 highest in the coastal region but more or 
 less comparable among the other regions 
 (table 1) . Sugar content is highest in the 
 southern desert region, but is slightly 
 lower progressively in the coastal, north 
 central, and south central regions. 
 
 7] 
 
GROWER-PROCESSOR RELATIONS 
 
 There are ten sugar beet refineries in Cal- 
 ifornia and they are operated by four 
 sugar companies. Sugar beets produced 
 for sugar are grown only under contract 
 with the individual grower and the proc- 
 essing companies. The contract is of the 
 participating type, guaranteeing the 
 grower a share of the net return the pro- 
 cessor realizes from the sale of sugar dur- 
 ing a designated 12-month period. 
 
 Sugar content is determined by anal- 
 ysis of a 20- to 30-pound sample taken 
 from each load of beets delivered to the 
 factory or loading station. "Per cent tare" 
 or "per cent clean beets" is also deter- 
 mined on each sample by weighing the 
 sample as it was collected, removing dirt 
 and adhering leaf material, and then re- 
 weighing the cleaned sample. A percent- 
 age factor is then determined and applied 
 to the weight of the load from which the 
 sample was taken so as to obtain the 
 weight of clean beets for payment. 
 
 As the beets are delivered, growers are 
 paid about 90 per cent of the anticipated 
 final price calculated from a forecast of 
 final returns. During the 12-month sales 
 year additional payments may be made if 
 returns warrant them. Final and complete 
 
 payment is made when the sales year has 
 ended, and a certified public accountant 
 has audited the company's sales records 
 and determined the net selling price 
 realized. 
 
 Each sugar company maintains an 
 agricultural department with a staff of 
 fieldmen who conduct the company's bus- 
 iness with the grower and assist him in 
 making decisions concerning cultural 
 operations affecting his crop. Most com- 
 panies also employ a staff of technically 
 trained agriculturalists to investigate pro- 
 duction problems, develop varieties, and 
 extend technical information to fieldmen 
 and growers. 
 
 In 1931 the California Beet Growers 
 Association, Ltd., was established with 
 headquarters at Stockton to protect and 
 promote the interests of the state's sugar 
 beet growers. The association member- 
 ship includes about 98 per cent of the in- 
 dividuals, partnerships, and corporations 
 engaged in producing sugar beets. The 
 association represents growers in negotia- 
 tions with sugar processors and other in- 
 dustry groups and in matters dealing 
 with federal and state legislation, and 
 joins with processors in the promotion 
 
 LOCATION, YEAR OF COMPLETION, AND TONS PER DAY SLICING CAPACITY 
 OF BEET-SUGAR PROCESSING PLANTS 
 
 Company Location 
 
 American Crystal Clarksburg 
 
 Holly Sugar Corporation Hamilton City 
 
 Tracy 
 Santa Ana 
 Brawley 
 
 Spreckels Sugar Division, 
 
 Amstar Corporation Woodland 
 
 Manteca 
 
 Salinas 
 
 Mendota 
 
 Union Sugar Division, Consoli- 
 dated Foods Corporation .... Betteravia 
 
 [8] 
 
 Completed 
 
 Capacity 
 
 1935 
 
 2,900 
 
 1906 
 
 2,000 
 
 1917 
 
 3,500 
 
 1912 
 
 1,800 
 
 1947 
 
 6,500 
 
 1937 
 
 3,600 
 
 1917 
 
 4,200 
 
 1899 
 
 6,500 
 
 1963 
 
 4,200 
 
 1897 
 
 4,900 
 
and financing of research for the benefit 
 of the industry. Association field repre- 
 sentatives routinely inspect weighing and 
 sampling operations at sugar beet loading 
 
 stations; additionally, the association rep- 
 resentatives also examine the analyses of 
 samples for tare and sugar content at 
 company laboratories. 
 
 FARM SIZE, COST OF PRODUCTION, 
 AND RETURNS TO GROWERS 
 
 Sugar beets are commonly farmed as 
 part of a diversified cropping program. 
 Average sugar beet acreage thus does not 
 indicate farm size, but it can indicate 
 average regional farm size differences if 
 the proportion of beets to total farm size 
 is roughly the same. In 1970, the county 
 ASCS offices indicated that 1,474 farms 
 
 in California applied for beet payments — 
 since there were 288,000 harvested acres, 
 the average beet acreage was therefore 
 about 195 acres per farm. The largest 
 average county beet acreages typically 
 were in the Central Valley, ranging from 
 a high of 435 acres in Kings County to a 
 low of 124 acres in Madera County. Acre- 
 
 Table2 
 
 COST OF FARM EQUIPMENT AND BUILDINGS USED 
 IN PRODUCING SUGAR BEETS* 
 
 Item 
 
 Original 
 cost 
 
 Annual 
 use 
 
 Cost per 
 acre 
 
 Expected 
 
 life 
 of equip- 
 ment 
 
 Noncash overhead 
 
 Depre- 
 ciation 
 
 Interest at 
 7 per cent 
 
 Tractor, 60 hp tractor diesel 
 (V2 share) 
 
 Two tractors, 70 hp wheel 
 diesel ( V2 share) 
 
 Tractor, 30 hp wheel diesel 
 (V 2 share) 
 
 Plow, 4-16, 2-way mounted . 
 
 Disc, offset, 16 feet 
 
 Chisel, 12 feet 
 
 Harrow, 30 feet 
 
 Roller, 15 feet 
 
 Float, 15 feet 
 
 Tool bar, bedding equipment, 
 etc 
 
 Ditcher, 4 feet 
 
 Sled, 6-row, fully equipped 
 with planter, incorporator 
 cultivator 
 
 Rolling cultivator, 6-row 
 
 Truck, 2-ton ( y 2 share) 
 
 Two pickups (lVfe shares) . 
 
 Weed and insect sprayer 
 
 Tool carrier ( V 2 share) 
 
 Shop tools 
 
 Shop building 
 
 Total 
 
 dollars 
 
 15,000 
 
 12,000 
 
 3,250 
 2,000 
 3,000 
 1,600 
 1,000 
 1,500 
 750 
 
 2,500 
 1,000 
 
 6,000 
 2,500 
 3,000 
 4,500 
 1,500 
 800 
 3,000 
 3.000 
 
 640 
 
 640 
 
 640 
 320 
 640 
 640 
 640 
 320 
 320 
 
 320 
 
 320 
 
 150 
 420 
 640 
 640 
 640 
 640 
 640 
 640 
 
 dollars 
 
 23.44 
 
 18.75 
 
 5.08 
 6.25 
 4.69 
 2.50 
 1.56 
 4.69 
 2.34 
 
 7.81 
 3.13 
 
 40.00 
 5.95 
 4.69 
 7.03 
 2.34 
 1.25 
 4.69 
 4.69 
 
 years 
 
 15 
 
 10 
 
 10 
 10 
 10 
 10 
 10 
 10 
 10 
 
 10 
 15 
 
 7 
 10 
 10 
 5 
 5 
 15 
 15 
 20 
 
 dollars 
 
 1.56 
 
 1.88 
 
 .51 
 .63 
 .47 
 .25 
 .16 
 .47 
 .23 
 
 .78 
 .21 
 
 5.71 
 .60 
 .47 
 
 1.41 
 .47 
 .08 
 .31 
 .23 
 
 .82 
 
 .18 
 .22 
 .16 
 .09 
 .05 
 .16 
 .08 
 
 .27 
 .11 
 
 .40 
 .21 
 .16 
 .25 
 .08 
 .04 
 .16 
 .16 
 
 67.900 
 
 150.88 
 
 16.43 
 
 5.26 
 
 * Data are from Salisbury, R. L., and P. S. Parsons, Sugar Beet Production Costs, Tehama, Olenn, and 
 Butte Counties, University of California Agricultural Extension Service Cost Sheet, January 1971. The 
 equipment above is for a 640-acre field crop operation with 150 acres of sugar beets. 
 
 [9] 
 
SAMPLE COSTS FOR PRODUCING SUGAR BEETS 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Total 
 
 Operation and number 
 
 
 Labor 
 
 Fuel and 
 
 
 cash 
 
 of times done 
 
 Hours 
 
 costs 
 
 repair Materials 
 
 
 costs 
 
 
 
 per acre 
 
 
 
 per acre 
 
 Plow 
 
 0.50 
 
 $ 1.30 
 
 $ 2.05 
 
 $ 3.35 
 
 Disc and/or chisel (2x) 
 
 0.50 
 
 1.30 
 
 2.05 
 
 
 3.35 
 
 Landplane (every other year 2x) 
 
 0.30 
 
 0.78 
 
 1.25 Rent of plane 
 
 $ 0.50 
 
 2.53 
 
 List beds and preplant starter 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 fertilizer 
 
 0.25 
 
 0.65 
 
 1.01 Starter N-P 
 
 6.00 
 
 7.66 
 
 Fertilizer-nitrogen; rent rig 
 
 0.17 
 
 0.44 
 
 0.46 120 lb. N per acre ; 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Rent $0.50 per acre 
 
 8.90 
 
 9.80 
 
 Float 
 
 0.25 
 
 0.65 
 
 0.54 
 
 
 1.19 
 
 Roll beds 
 
 0.20 
 
 0.52 
 
 0.24 
 
 
 0.76 
 
 Plant, and incorporate herbicide 
 
 0.40 
 
 1.04 
 
 2.02 Seed $4.00; 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Herbicide $5.75 
 
 9.75 
 
 12.81 
 
 Ditch preparation (season) 
 
 0.20 
 
 0.52 
 
 0.74 
 
 
 1.26 
 
 Insecticide (cutworm or other) 
 
 0.20 
 
 0.52 
 
 0.39 Bait 
 
 6.00 
 
 6.91 
 
 Cultivate (2x) for season 
 
 0.50 
 
 1.30 
 
 1.16 
 
 
 2.46 
 
 Layby herbicide and apply 
 
 0.30 
 
 0.78 
 
 0.77 Herbicide 
 
 5.25 
 
 6.80 
 
 Irrigate (9x) for season 
 
 7.2 
 
 15.84 
 
 4 acre-feet 
 
 10.00 
 
 25.84 
 
 Thin and hoe 
 
 
 
 Contract 
 
 30.00 
 
 30.00 
 
 Miscellaneous labor (down-time, 
 
 
 
 
 
 4.05 
 
 move and service equipment, etc.) 1.50 
 
 3.90 
 
 0.15 
 
 
 
 Total cultural costs 
 
 12.47 
 
 $29.54 
 
 $12.83 
 
 $76.40 
 
 $118.77 
 
 Harvest costs 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Dig 
 
 Contract at $1.25 per ton 
 
 $25.00 
 
 $ 25.00 
 
 Haul 
 
 Contract at $1.05 per ton 
 
 21.00 
 
 21.00 
 
 Total harvest costs 
 
 
 
 
 $46.00 
 
 $ 46.00 
 
 Cash overhead 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Miscellaneous, office, etc. 
 
 
 
 
 
 $ 9.89 
 
 Taxes and insurance (equipment) 
 
 
 
 
 2.10 
 
 Rent 20% X 20 tons X $15.00 
 
 per ton 
 
 
 
 
 60.00 
 
 Total cash overhead 
 
 
 
 
 
 $ 71.99 
 
 Total cash costs 
 
 
 
 
 
 $236.76 
 
 Management 5% X 20 tons X $15.00 
 
 
 
 
 $ 15.00 
 
 
 per acre 
 
 Annual costs : 
 
 
 
 Investment 
 
 depreciation interest 
 
 
 Equipment and buildings 
 
 $151.00 
 
 $16.43 $5.26 
 
 
 $ 21.69 
 
 Total cost per acre 
 
 
 
 
 
 $273.45 
 
 Cost per ton at 20 tons yield $ 13.67 
 
 The costs shown above are taken from Salisbury, R. L., and P. S. Parsons, "Sugar Beet Production 
 Costs, Tehama, Glenn, and Butte Counties," University of California Agricultural Extension Service Cost 
 Sheet, January 1971. Costs were compiled with the advice of several growers in each of the three northern 
 Sacramento Valley counties, and thus are not to be construed as industry averages. For instance, water 
 costs in the San Joaquin Valley may run to $18.00 per acre-foot or higher, with uses of 3.5 to 4.0 acre-feet, 
 or about $80.00 higher than the cost listed here. Other areas may have much greater outlay for herbicides 
 and insecticides, and other local cost situations. These costs above represent more favorable cost conditions 
 than other state areas. Total costs for Kern County (southern San Joaquin) in 1971 are estimated to be 
 Some $365 per acre; for Colusa County, near the counties listed here, $354. 
 
 ages were smaller in the coastal areas, 
 with acreages usually 100 acres or less 
 per farm. 
 
 In order to expand the size of farm 
 operations, many farmers in California 
 
 rent additional land, and this practice is 
 common for sugar beet acreage. ASCS 
 offices reported that for the 1970 crop 
 year there were 2,429 payees for the 
 1,474 farming units applying for beet 
 
 [10 
 
payments, indicating payments to both 
 operators and owners. Rental rates vary 
 in the state according to productivity, 
 custom, and other factors. Typically, the 
 rental agreement will be a share rent 
 from 20 to 25 per cent of gross receipts, 
 and may involve additional contributions 
 from the landlord such as for water and 
 fertilizer. Cash cost rentals are also used 
 and are highly variable between growing 
 areas. In some areas where there is much 
 competition for land, cash rent may range 
 from $80 to 150 per acre; in less produc- 
 tive areas, from $50 to $70 per acre. 
 
 Cost of production 
 
 Actual operations and costs vary with 
 farm size and equipment used, soil type 
 and fertility, climate, wages paid, water 
 cost, weed, pest, and disease control re- 
 quired, and land rental. The cost data 
 shown on page 10 reflect probable opera- 
 tions and associated costs on a 640-acre 
 northern California farm having 150 
 acres of sugar beets and a 20-ton yield, 
 but are not representative of the state. 
 
 Beet growing requires some specialized 
 equipment, but most equipment can be 
 used on other crops. Table 2 gives equip- 
 ment and operating costs. 
 
 Returns to growers 
 
 Payments to growers are in two parts: 
 the payment from the sugar company in 
 accordance with the contract between the 
 company and the grower, and the condi- 
 tional payment under the Sugar Act. 
 Table 3 shows approximate total income 
 per ton of beets received by California 
 farmers from 1957 to 1970. 
 
 Payments to growers from the process- 
 ing company will vary according to the 
 growers' per cent sugar in beets, and the 
 net-selling price which is received by the 
 company. Net selling price is computed 
 by deducting the selling costs from gross 
 receipts. (Selling costs include the excise 
 tax imposed for the tax and payment 
 system in addition to normal selling 
 charges.) 
 
 Conditional payments provided for by 
 the Sugar Act also vary with the sugar 
 content; table 4 gives payments for 1963- 
 71. Because the payments were based on 
 a state average of 87.1 per cent commer- 
 cially recoverable raw sugar, these data 
 differ slightly from the national average. 
 
 Growers with larger tonnages of sugar 
 beets receive less per ton in the condi- 
 tional payment because of the Sugar Act 
 scale-down provisions for paying less to 
 larger growers. 
 
 Table 3 
 
 ANNUAL AVERAGE RETURNS PER 
 TON OF SUGAR BEETS* 
 
 
 Average net 
 sugar price 
 per 100 lb. 
 
 Payment to growers 
 
 Crop 
 year 
 
 From 
 
 Sugar 
 
 Act 
 
 From 
 company 
 
 Total 
 
 1960 
 
 7.32 (Bulk) 
 
 2.17 
 
 11.10 
 
 13.27 
 
 1961 
 
 7.46 (Bulk) 
 
 2.15 
 
 11.38 
 
 13.53 
 
 1962 
 
 8.40 (Bulk) 
 
 2.15 
 
 12.81 
 
 14.96 
 
 1963 
 
 8.06 (Bulk) 
 
 2.13 
 
 12.30 
 
 14.43 
 
 1964 
 
 7.43 (Bulk) 
 
 2.13 
 
 11.32 
 
 13.35 
 
 1965 
 
 7.64 (Bulk) 
 
 2.11 
 
 11.67 
 
 13.78 
 
 1966 
 
 8.27 (Bulk) 
 
 2.11 
 
 12.62 
 
 14.73 
 
 1967 
 
 8.71 (Bulk) 
 
 2.10 
 
 13.71 
 
 15.81 
 
 1968 
 
 8.64 (Bulk) 
 
 2.10 
 
 13.60 
 
 15.70 
 
 1969 
 
 8.69 (Bulk) 
 
 2.10 
 
 13.68 
 
 15.78 
 
 1970 est. 
 
 9.45 (Bulk) 
 
 2.09 
 
 15.05 
 
 17.14 
 
 * California average net price for beets of 15 per 
 cent sugar content. 
 
 Table 4 
 SUGAR ACT PAYMENTS PER TON* 
 
 Crop 
 year 
 
 Per cent sugar and payment rate 
 
 13 
 
 14 15 16 17 
 
 18 
 
 
 
 dollars per ton 
 
 
 1963 
 
 1.85 
 
 1.99 
 
 2.13 
 
 2.28 
 
 2.42 
 
 2.56 
 
 1964 
 
 1.85 
 
 1.99 
 
 2.13 
 
 2.28 
 
 2.42 
 
 2.56 
 
 1965 
 
 1.83 
 
 1.97 
 
 2.11 
 
 2.25 
 
 2.39 
 
 2.53 
 
 1966 
 
 1.83 
 
 1.97 
 
 2.11 
 
 2.25 
 
 2.39 
 
 2.53 
 
 1967 
 
 1.82 
 
 1.96 
 
 2.10 
 
 2.24 
 
 2.38 
 
 2.52 
 
 1968 
 
 1.82 
 
 1.96 
 
 2.10 
 
 2.24 
 
 2.38 
 
 2.52 
 
 1969 
 
 1.81 
 
 1.95 
 
 2.09 
 
 2.23 
 
 2.37 
 
 2.51 
 
 1970 
 
 1.81 
 
 1.95 
 
 2.09 
 
 2.23 
 
 2.37 
 
 2.51 
 
 1971t 
 
 1.78 
 
 1.92 
 
 2.06 
 
 2.19 
 
 2.33 
 
 2.47 
 
 * Calculations made from USDA-ASCS informa- 
 tion Part 831.15 State and County Office Handbook. 
 
 t The USD A estimate of "commercially recover- 
 able sugar" was revised downward in 1971. Since 
 compliance payments are made to the grower ac- 
 cording to the production of "commercially recov- 
 erable sugar," the payments were lower. 
 
 [li] 
 
GROWING SUGAR BEETS 
 
 Growing season 
 
 Sugar beets require at least 5 months of 
 excellent growing weather to produce a 
 profitable crop. Generally, the earlier the 
 planting the higher the yield provided 
 temperatures at planting are conducive 
 to rapid growth and plants are not in- 
 fected with virulent strains of yellows or 
 curly top viruses soon after emergence. 
 
 When sugar beets are growing rapidly, 
 the sugar content of roots is low (from 
 10 per cent to 13 per cent) . When plant 
 growth is slowed and light intensity is 
 still high, roots can increase in sugar con- 
 tent to 18 or 19 per cent. Nitrogen defi- 
 ciency prior to harvest and cold nights 
 slow vegetative growth and increase 
 sugar content. 
 
 When the growing sugar beet under- 
 goes a prolonged period of cold temper- 
 atures followed by a period of warmer 
 temperatures and longer daylengths, 
 seed-stalk production ("bolting") takes 
 place. Bolting occurs in northern Califor- 
 nia in late March and April in beet fields 
 that have been overwintered. Although 
 varieties tolerant to bolting have been 
 developed, winters in this area are usu- 
 ally cold enough to cause even the most 
 tolerant varieties to bolt. 
 
 If fields are to be overwintered for a 
 spring harvest, planting should be no 
 later than early June to allow sufficient 
 time to produce a profitable crop before 
 the cold winter months set in. During 
 September and October in northern Cal- 
 ifornia beet crops usually increase 1.5 
 tons per acre per week and more. From 
 December through February these same 
 
 crops grow at a slower rate — from 0.1 to 
 0.25 ton per acre per week. After bolting 
 starts there is little additional increase 
 in root growth, and sugar content grad- 
 ually declines 
 
 In the Imperial Valley, winters are not 
 cold enough to cause much bolting in 
 bolting-resistant varieties. Sugar beets 
 grow well in the winter and spring in this 
 area, but should be harvested before high 
 summer temperatures result in lowered 
 quality. 
 
 Seed and soil 
 
 Research by the U.S.D.A. and the sugar 
 processors has developed hybrid varieties 
 not only resistant to bolting but also to 
 diseases that once caused widespread 
 losses. Hybrid varieties which out-yield 
 old open-pollinated varieties by 10 to 20 
 per cent have also been developed. The 
 hybrid varieties now used in California 
 have monogerm seeds, that is, the corky 
 seed-pieces (fruits) contain a single true 
 seed. Such seeds help eliminate dou- 
 bles and multiples in beet stands, improve 
 the operation of mechanical thinners, 
 and make it easier to plant directly to a 
 stand. Seed is usually purchased from a 
 sugar company where it is processed and 
 graded to permit precision planting and 
 treated to protect germinating seedlings 
 from damage by soil fungi and insects. 
 
 Sugar beets grow well on soils ranging 
 from sandy loams to heavy clays. Soil 
 texture is not too important, but the soil 
 must be deep and well-drained for opti- 
 mum production. 
 
 Sugar beets are very tolerant to salt 
 
 Planting and Harvesting Months by Region 
 
 Production region 
 
 Planting months 
 
 Harvesting months 
 
 North Central Valley 
 South Central Valley 
 Coastal 
 Imperial Valley 
 
 February-June 
 October-March 
 November-February 
 September-November 
 
 August-December; March-June 
 July-December 
 August-December 
 April-July 
 
 12 
 
during later stages of growth, but ex- 
 tremely sensitive during germination. 
 Even for slightly saline soils, special pre- 
 cautions should be taken for planting and 
 irrigating to avoid concentrating salt in 
 seed rows. Though sugar beets may yield 
 better than many other crops on saline 
 soils, high production costs may more 
 than offset the advantage. Thus, excess- 
 ively saline soils may be more profitably 
 used by a salt-tolerant low-production- 
 cost crop (barley, for example). 
 
 Plant spacing 
 
 Row spacings vary but the most com- 
 mon are single rows spaced 30 inches 
 apart on raised beds, or two rows spaced 
 14 inches apart on beds spaced 40 inches 
 from center to center. Under sprinkler 
 irrigation, rows are sometimes spaced as 
 close as 20 inches on a flat soil surface 
 The closer row spacings produce higher 
 yields, but 30-inch bed planting is fav- 
 ored in Central Valley areas for greater 
 ease of operation. Two rows on a 40-inch 
 bed are favored by vegetable producers 
 of the coastal and Imperial Valley areas. 
 
 Regardless of row spacing, sugar beet 
 plants should be no closer than 5 or 6 
 inches apart in the row. In-row-spacing 
 can be as wide as 16 inches without ap- 
 preciably reducing root yield. Ideally, 
 plants should be spaced from 8 to 12 
 inches. This is accomplished by thinning 
 with hoes or by machines, or by precision 
 planting to produce a stand that does not 
 require thinning. 
 
 Weed, disease, and pest control 
 
 Weeds must be controlled for good 
 sugar beet yields. Several herbicides are 
 available and additional compounds are 
 being developed which when properly 
 used can provide for season-long weed 
 control. Precision cultivation equipment 
 plays an important role in weed control. 
 The University of California publishes an 
 annual guide to weed control in sugar 
 beets. 
 
 Important virus diseases are: Beet yel- 
 lows, beet western yellows, beet mosaic 
 (all transmitted primarily by the green 
 peach aphid), and curly top (transmitted 
 by the beet leafhopper) . Root diseases 
 causing economic losses are: Sclerotium 
 root rot, wet root rot, and dry rot canker, 
 each caused by a different soil-borne fun- 
 gus. A leaf-defoliating disease, Cercos- 
 pora leaf spot, occasionally causes dam- 
 age in the upper Sacramento and lowe~ 
 San Joaquin Valleys. 
 
 Leaf-feeding insects such as the beet 
 army worm can cause damage if not 
 properly controlled. Soil-infesting nema- 
 todes, the sugar beet nematode and the 
 root knot nematode, can cause crop fail- 
 ures if proper precautions are not taken. 
 The University also publishes an annual 
 guide for the control of important pests 
 and diseases. 
 
 Irrigation and fertilization 
 
 Good yields require careful control of 
 irrigation. Overhead sprinkling is suc- 
 cessfully used in many areas. When ir- 
 rigation is by furrow, proper irrigation 
 requires careful levelling of the land to 
 provide even gravity flow. Water require- 
 ments vary from 1% to 2 feet per acre 
 in cool coastal areas to 3 to 5 feet in 
 warmer areas of interior valleys. 
 
 Sugar beets remove about the same 
 amount of plant nutrients from soil that 
 many other field and vegetable crops do. 
 Many sugar beet crops require nitrogen 
 fertilization, usually from 50 to 150 
 pounds of nitrogen per acre. Nitrogen 
 should be applied early in the season so 
 that it is used up well before harvest; 
 otherwise, the sugar concentration will be 
 low. For maximum sugar production and 
 highest net return, sugar beets should 
 show nitrogen deficiency symptoms from 
 6 to 8 weeks prior to harvest. 
 
 Profitable responses to phosphorus 
 fertilization are becoming quite common 
 in California. Where phosphorus is 
 needed, from 20 to 40 pounds of P (46 to 
 
 13] 
 
Table 5 
 NUTRIENTS TAKEN FROM SOIL BY SEVERAL MAJOR CROPS 1 
 
 Crop and plant 
 part harvested 
 
 Yield per acre 
 
 Pounds of nutrients removed per acre 
 
 N 
 
 P 
 
 K 
 
 Sugar beets (roots) 
 
 20 tons 
 
 5 tons 
 2,500 pounds 
 4,500 pounds 
 2,000 pounds 
 400 cwt. 
 20 tons 
 
 2 balesf 
 
 104 
 237t 
 
 58 
 
 63 
 
 73t 
 140 
 
 56 
 
 72 
 
 16 
 24 
 9 
 13 
 11 
 19 
 10 
 13 
 
 100 
 
 
 206 
 
 
 12 
 
 Field corn (grain) 
 
 Beans (dry beans) 
 
 12 
 
 66 
 
 193 
 
 Tomatoes (fruits) 
 
 110 
 
 
 22 
 
 
 
 * Nutrient content of crops varies considerably from field to field. The figure given here (based on data 
 from "Feeds and Feeding," by F. B. Morrison) are a general comparison of nutrient removal. 
 
 t Besides the 2 bales (1,000 pounds) of lint, this yield includes 1,860 pounds of seed. 
 
 j Much of the nitrogen content of legumes may have been taken from the air and made available to the 
 plants by nodule-forming bacteria on their roots. 
 
 92 pounds of P 2 5 ) per acre usually pro- 
 vides for maximum growth. Potassium 
 fertilization is unnecessary in most areas, 
 and sulfur is deficient only in some soils 
 of the upper Sacramento Valley. Micro- 
 nutrient deficiencies of sugar beets are 
 uncommon in California. 
 
 Rotation 
 
 Without proper crop rotation, pests, di- 
 seases, and weeds can increase to the 
 point where profitable production is im- 
 possible. Because the sugar beet is deep 
 rooted, it is a good crop to alternate with 
 shallow-rooted crops needing heavy ferti- 
 lization. The beet's extensive root system 
 draws moisture and plant nutrients from 
 as deep as 4 to 5 feet in well-drained 
 soil, thereby benefiting from much of the 
 fertilizer left by the shallowrooted crop. 
 Care should be taken not to fertilize 
 heavily with nitrogen if beets follow 
 heavily fertilized crops. Tops incorpor- 
 ated in moist soil decompose rapidly, re- 
 leasing nitrogen and other nutrients, 
 most of which will be available to sub- 
 sequent crops. 
 
 Mechanization and labor 
 
 Sugar beet production prior to World 
 War II required extensive use of hand 
 labor. Major hand operations were thin- 
 
 ning, hoeing weeds, and harvesting, 
 which usually required the use of large 
 seasonal labor crews. Since World War II, 
 harvesting has been completely mecha- 
 nized in California and several makes of 
 harvesters are now available. In 1 day a 
 machine can harvest up to 10 acres of 
 beets yielding 20 tons or more of roots 
 per acre. These machines top, lift, and 
 convey the roots to a truck which delivers 
 them to the factory or a beet-loading sta- 
 tion at a nearby railroad. At the factory 
 or loading station, the truckload is 
 weighed, and the beets are mechani- 
 cally dumped into a hopper from which 
 they are conveyed to a railroad car or to 
 a storage bin. A sample is collected for 
 sucrose and tare analysis just prior to 
 loading into railroad car or storage bin. 
 The development of monogerm seed, 
 precision planters, seed protectants, im- 
 proved cultural methods, better tillage 
 equipment, and mechanical thinners have 
 made it possible to establish a stand with 
 little or no hand labor. To grow beets with 
 minimum hand labor, however, weeds 
 must be controlled, and even though some 
 very effective herbicides are available for 
 chemical weed control they may not con- 
 trol heavy weed infestations. Therefore, 
 sugar beets should not be grown on land 
 heavily infested with weeds. 
 
 [14] 
 
The use of hand labor for thinning and 
 weeding is decreasing. In 1965 most 
 counties reported that hand thinning and 
 two weedings were common. By 1971 and 
 1972, several areas reported that better 
 
 stand-establishment and use of herbicides 
 on many acres substantially reduced thin- 
 ning and weeding. The northern counties 
 were the largest continuing users of labor 
 for these operations. 
 
 To simplify the information, it is sometimes necessary to 
 use trade names of products or equipment. No endorsement 
 of named products is intended nor is criticism implied of 
 similar products not mentioned. 
 
 Co-operative Extension work in Agriculture and Home Economics, Division of Agricultural Sciences, University of California, and United States Department of Agriculture 
 co-operating. Distributed in furtherance of the Acts of Congress of May 6, and June 30, 1914. George B. Alcorn, Director, California Agricultural Extension Service. 
 
 10m-3,'73(Q7246L)VL 
 
his publication is one of many that are written, pro- 
 duced, and distributed by the University of California 
 Division of Agricultural Sciences. 
 
 hey cover many subjects, from agronomy to zoology. 
 They cover many crops, from alfalfa to zucchini. 
 Some report new research findings . . . some tell "how to 
 do it." 
 
 Most are free ... for some there is a charge. 
 All are listed in a catalog that is issued annually. 
 
 o get a copy of the catalog, visit the office of your local 
 University of California Farm Advisor, or write to: 
 
 Agricultural Publications 
 University of California 
 Berkeley, Calif. 94720