A Bit Of History

Insects Affecting Sugarbeets in North Dakota: "The earliest record of sugarbeets being produced in North Dakota indicates that they were first planted in1890. While sugarbeet trials were conducted over the next 30 years, there was no amount of commercial production until the first sugar factory was completed at East Grand Forks, Minnesota in 1926. The first record of sugarbeet production is for 1924 when 2,600 acres were harvested in North Dakota. The total value of this crop was $194,000.
In 1953 there were 34,800 acres of sugarbeets harvested in North Dakota with a value of $3,729,000. By 1977 sugarbeet production had reached a peak of 155,200 acres harvested in North Dakota with a total crop value of $ 59,257,000. Sugarbeets have played an important role in the developing economy of the Red River Valley. Also,certain insects have played a role in the production of sugarbeets. Historically the sugarbeet root maggot has been without a doubt the main insect culprit affecting sugarbeet yields, but in recent years, cutworms, grasshoppers, flea beetles, white grubs and a few other shave managed to take their 'bite' out of sugarbeet profits as well."