American Crystal board approves cut in beet acreage Eds: APNewsNow.

Fargo, N.D. (AP) American Crystal Sugar growers could cut their sugar beet acreage 15 percent or more this year.

American Crystal President David Berg said the cooperative's board of directors this week approved a cut ranging from 15 percent to 19 percent. He said the board considered such factors as excess production during the past two years and the profit potential for other crops such as wheat.

That means growers for the Moorhead, Minn.-based cooperative will plant in the range of 405,000 acres to 424,000 acres of beets, compared with about 498,570 acres last year. Sugar beet planting starts in about two weeks.

In Wahpeton, Minn-Dak Farmers Cooperative Vice President Tom Knudsen said the co-op plans to raise 109,000 acres of beets, about the same as last year.

Information from: Grand Forks Agweek, http://www.grandforks.com/mld/agweek/ (Copyright 2008 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.) APNP 03-28-08 0821CDT | save this article / add to your favorites list