California Growers Set New World Record in Sugarbeets

With continuing improvements to technology and genetics across the agricultural industry, it’s no surprise to regularly see world records fall. This month in California’s Imperial Valley, father-son grower duo Ralph and Jason Taylor set a new world record for extractable sugar per acre.

California is the sixth largest sugarbeet producer in the nation (Minnesota, Idaho, and North Dakota own the top three spots). The Taylors of TNT Management Inc. used Betaseed variety 5678 in a 130-acre field to average 77.91 tons per acre with a sugar content of 17.15 percent. That mean they achieved 22,604 pounds of extractable sugar per acre. 

The Taylor family has been growing sugarbeets in the Imperial Valley region for decades. They currently farm over 10,000 acres of crops, including 3,330 acres of sugarbeets, as well as dehydrated onions, alfalfa hay, wheat, bermudagrass, and sudangrass.

The Taylor field that broke the world record for extractable sugar per acre “was a challenge” according to Jason Taylor, “due to different soil types and early October heat.” Through a combination of micromanagement and spot treatments, he said he was able to keep the field in good health.

“I really enjoy growing sugarbeets and consistently striving to become more efficient and make a better crop,” he noted.

Betaseed Inc. is headquartered in Shakopee, Minnesota and is recognized as the market leader in sugarbeet seed research and development. World records are not new to the brand, nor to the region. The previous world record was held by Baja Farms, also of the Imperial Valley growing region. In 2019, Baja Farms, using Betaseed 5460 in a 73-acre field, averaged 80.69 tons per acre with 16.31 percent sugar content. Prior to that, Betaseed 4521R was used in a world record back in 2011 and variety 4430R in a record in 2002.

Jason Taylor stated that “Betaseed has consistently outperformed any other seed varieties I have used in the past.”