AGRICULTURE

August 20, 2010:  There is a Q & A paper regarding some common questions and concerns with the recent ruling on RR sugarbeets. It would be well worth your time to check it out. The paper can be located in the "Shareholders" section of the MDFC website. This will require a password and log in.

 August 16, 2010

Last Friday (August 13, 2010) Federal Judge Jeffrey White (US District Court for the Northern District of California) issued rulings regarding Roundup Ready sugarbeets. The Sugar Industry Biotech Council, in which Minn-Dak is an active participant, has issued the following statement regarding the judges decision:

      "On August 13, 2010, Judge Jeffrey White of the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California denied plaintiffs' motion for a permanent injunction banning Roundup Ready sugarbeets.  The Court vacated USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service ( APHIS) original deregulation decision and remanded the matter back to APHIS.  APHIS may now consider implementing interim measures for planting future RRSB crops that comply with federal law. 

       The Court's order does not interfere with the harvest and processing of Roundup Ready sugarbeet and sugarbeet seed crops planted before the date of the order.   The Court ruled "such crops may be harvested and processed," and sugar from the 2010 sugarbeet crop may be supplied to the market without limitation.    

       Under the Court's ruling, and the Supreme Court's recent decision in Monsanto v. Geertson Seed Farms, APHIS may adopt interim measures regarding future planting of RRSB crops that are compliant with federal legal requirements.  The sugarbeet industry will provide its full support to USDA to allow full consideration of appropriate interim measures that allow continued production of Roundup Ready sugarbeets.

      Sugar beets are an important crop, planted on 1.2 million acres in the United States annually and supplying half of our nation’s sugar. The value of sugar beet crops is critically important to rural communities and their economies.  Biotech sugar beets planted on 95 percent of all sugar beet acreage have allowed growers to control weeds – one of their greatest challenges – in a more environmentally sustainable way."

As you can see in the statement, the 2010 crop of sugarbeets can be harvested, processed and sugar and co products may be supplied to the market without limitation. 

Further information with regard to future crops, 2011 and beyond, will be shared with you as it becomes available.   We will continue to be active as the industry monitors developments and strives to make Roundup Ready sugarbeets available for future years

Dave Roche

June 22, 2010: The Board of Directors approved a contest for MDFC growers and their employees starting with the 2010 harvest. The scope of the contest is to share ideas on how to reduce tare (dirt/mud).

You can download a copy of the form below or contact your Agriculturist for hard copies of the form. The application listed below is three pages. If you print it out make sure you get all three pages.

The following is from  MDFC Operations:

Agricultural Lime from Minn-Dak Farmers Cooperative Farmers and businesses can pick up agricultural lime from Minn-Dak farmers cooperative. There is no cost for the lime but starting August 1, 2009 there will be a $1.00 per ton handling/loading fee. Anyone wanting to obtain lime must first fill out an Agricultural Lime Procurement Form (ALP), which can be obtained by contacting Pete Jensen ((701) 671-1376), Ron Ehlert ((701) 671-1382) or the Factory Office ((701) 671-1338).

This form along with Minn-Dak’s current Agricultural Liming Material Label and a typical nutrient/trace element analysis will be sent back. Once the ALP Form has been filled out and returned a farmer or business can pick up the lime. The ALP form is kept on file so if a farmer or business has picked up lime in previous years it is not necessary to fill out another form.

Please contact Ron Ehlert or the Factory office for loading locations and times.

Hours of operation for loading as of August 4 are: Monday-Friday 7 am to 7 pm; Saturday 7 am to 4 pm.

Weather events will interrupt loading so be sure to call before coming.

December 15 , 2006:

Everyone,

Attached is a revised (December 15, 2006) worksheet I put together this afternoon in response to requests from growers on what a reasonable crop share percentage is.

Allen Larson

Click on this link for questions regarding purchasing of sugar/ sugar products (United Sugars)