Author Archives: kristal

Roundup Ready hot topic at Crystal Sugar meeting By: Mikkel Pates, Forum Communications Co., INFORUM American Crystal Sugar Co. shareholders at their annual meeting were happy but not giddy about a phenomenal crop and price year – their enthusiasm perhaps curbed by concerns about future use of Roundup Ready beets. “Finally!” said Bill Hejl of [...]

10/01/2010 By: Marino Eccher, INFORUM Published October 01 2010 Fargo, ND A California judge said this week that the latest round of “Roundup Ready” sugar beet seeds likely shouldn’t have been planted, the newest development in an ongoing legal battle over the use of biotech beet crops. Opponents of genetically engineered beets lauded the move, [...]

Ethanol is out.  That is, if a Wisconsin-based biofuel start-up has its way. Virent Energy Systems, Inc. of Madison, Wisconsin has produced a liquid fuel from sugarbeets that is superior to corn-based ethanol. The sugarbeet fuel easily blends into existing pipelines, gas tanks and automobile fuel tanks. It’s referred to as a “drop-in” biofuel.   [...]

Farmers may continue to plant genetically modified sugarbeets in 2010 after a federal judge denied a temporary injunction in San Francisco Tuesday, March 16.. The preliminary injunction would have banned the use of genetically modified (GM) sugarbeet seeds. The decision to continue to allow GM seeds stems from the devastating economic impact a ban would [...]

    By Kristal Rick, Seedex, Inc. as published in Sugar Producer magazine, November/December 2009 The time has come for growers to plant Seedex (SX) Roundup Ready® varieties. We have completed the process of developing RR varieties that have the same quality and performance of our conventional varieties. Limited quantities of some varieties were available [...]

By: Stephen J. Lee, Grand Forks Herald, INFORUM MOORHEAD – American Crystal Sugar Co. halted its sugar beet harvest Tuesday because temperatures dipped below 20 degrees and the crowns, or tops, of the beets were getting frosted. Company spokesman Jeff Schweitzer said all five factory districts dug no beets Tuesday. “We will take a look [...]

Rhizomania (RZM) is one of the most prevalent diseases in many sugarbeet growing areas today. That’s why many, if not all varieties sold today contain the Holly gene for RZM tolerance. In some areas growers are seeing increasing RZM pressure each year, but Seedex has the answer for growers in 2010. The answer is Tandem [...]

Seedex was the first sugarbeet seed company to offer all their varieties primed with XBEET and for the 2010 season, all Seedex varieties, both Roundup Ready® and conventional will once again come standard with XBEET. Adding XBEET to the already strong vigor and fast emergence of Seedex genetics means more benefits to our customers: • Accelerated and [...]

by Jennifer Johnson • Daily News, Wahpeton, ND  Minn-Dak Farmers Cooperative Communications Manager Chris DeVries has been a novice photographer for years, but his work will soon be reaching the public on a larger scale. Within the next few weeks, DeVries’ photos of local residents, scenery and landmarks will be featured on the city of [...]

By DALE HILDEBRANT, Farm & Ranch Guide For the second time in two years, a ruling by a U.S. district judge based in San Francisco has thrown a roadblock in the path of ag chemical giant Monsanto. Back in 2007 Judge Charles Breyer halted the use of Roundup Ready alfalfa seed and on Sept. 21, [...]