SIDNEY HERALD SUNDAY, JAN. 20, 2013 1C

Top 10 beet growers

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Top 10 sugar beet growers honoredBY LOUISA BARBERSIDNEY HERALD

Sugar beet growers dealt with a little bit of everything in their quests to produce a quality 2012 crop.

“As you know, we had a dry, dry spring, dry winter,” Sidney Sugars agricultural manager Russ Fullmer said during the an-nual honors banquet Wednesday held at the Elks Lodge. “Top growers got in when it was dry, and they irrigated.”

A dry winter and spring turned into a dry, hot summer in which producers “irrigated like crazy.”

By fall, there were so many obstacles. “We had just about everything thrown at us from heat, to lots of moisture, freezing tem-

peratures, the high winds and a few sunny days,” Fullmer said. At one point, condi-tions were so ideal that the plant broke its receiving record in a week’s time; digging was superb. Well over 60,000 tons a day were hauled in.

Toward the conclusion of harvest, grow-ers battled thick mud, but it finished Oct. 31; one harvest of many in which the area con-tinued to do well enough to produce crops. “We haven’t missed a crop since 1925,” Fullmer said. “The area is a place to grow beets. There’s been good and bad times, but there’s always a crop…This is a good area. Nice water source, pretty good soil, it’s a good climate, long days, long daylight, pretty good place to grow.”

Of the six receiving stations, Sugar Valley

in Fairview topped them all with 28.6 tons per acre; 18.03 percent sugar content; 28,714 plant population and an overall rating of 32.33. Culbertson came in second with Pleasant View (Glendive) in third, Powder River (Terry) in fourth, the factory in fifth and Savage.

The top producers in the small growers category of 50-247 acres were James and Tim Karst who had 179 acres with 38.2 tons per acre, along with an 18.12 percent sugar content and an overall rating of 37.15. 6J Farms Inc. took the top spot for those in large productions of more than 247 acres of sugar beets.

The key to a good crop? “Well, you got to have luck,” Fullmer said. No hail, no harsh weather elements. “Just pay attention to the

basics of growing beets. Make sure they got water when they’re supposed to,” he added.

Fullmer said Wednesday more producers are using an increasingly popular method of strip tilling in which farmers don’t dis-turb the land, insteading opting to let it rest to allow the soil to better capture moister. Sugar beets also seem to come out of the ground easier.

“This is exciting,” Fullmer said. “We’re seeing more and more of it in several dif-ferent ways growers are going at it, but once they get it, it seems to work well.” The more a farmer uses it, the better the results. There are also fewer input costs into the operations. “I think that’s the wave of the future,” he said.

LOUISA BARBER | SIDNEY HERALD

Top sugar beet growers were honored with a banquet by Sidney Sugars Wednesday. Growers included, front from left, Jim and Tim Karst, Cody, Brock and Troy Tibbetts of Tibbetts Wheatland LLC., Darren Dukart and Russell Dige; back, Terry Cayko and Toby Miller of 6J Farms Inc., David Hoffman, Ryan and Jason Haidle of Haidle Farms Inc., Kyle, Ivan and Todd Cayko, and Justin Karst. Not pictured is Sean Welty.

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This was Terry Cayko’s second year in a row as the area’s top sugar beet grower. That must make him an expert, right?

Not exactly, he says. “I knew we had a good crop,” the area native said,” but he also knew others had qual-ity ones too. “It makes you feel good knowing you’re the number one grower, but you’ve got to have a lot of luck.”

Cayko, a veteran pro-ducer who farms near the Missouri-Yellowstone Confluence, said it was luck that granted him some calm days to spray all day when he needed to. And it was es-pecially fortunate when his now right-hand man, Toby Miller, joined his 6J Farms Inc. operations after Cayko’s son, Jason, died as a result of injuries he suffered in an accident during the summer of 2007. In the fall, Miller of-fered his services for free to do tractor work. Cayko and Miller talked about working together during the winter. “We just knew it was going to work out because we felt it was a godsend,” Cayko said.

A little bit of luck, but also a little bit of timeliness. “We were really aggressive in the spring,” he said. “We knew going in that we were very dry, and as soon as the water was in the ditches we started irrigating.” They’re also not afraid to spray for weeds. The trick? “Because we irrigated right away, we established our stand, and we had such a good plant population.”

Things just seemed to fall into place, and, simply enough, it’s why Cayko’s been able to capture the crown a second straight year in the over-247-acres category.

6J Farms Inc. farmed 363 acres of sugar beets with

35.9 tons per acre, a sugar content of 18.28 percent and an overall rating of 36.09.

Sidney Sugars agricultur-al manager Russ Fullmer said Cayko’s operations produce such quality yields

because he controls the weeds and uses a variety of plants.

“You know, he just does everything you’re supposed to,” he said. “Timing is important. If it’s a little dry out there he doesn’t wait. Where some farmers may wait two or three weeks to irrigate, he’s right out there irrigating.”

Cayko, meanwhile, says he’s pleased being atop the competition, but his main goal is to do the best he can.

“It’s something that you go out to do your best job, and when you go out to do your best job, if it happens it happens,” he said. “It does feel good, but like I said, you’ve got to have a little bit of luck, and knowing your fields to me is one of the main things...”

reporter@sidneyherald.com

Cayko credits luck, timelinessfor his top grower status

‘Timing is important. If

it’s a little dry out there

he doesn’t wait. Where

some farmers may wait

two or three weeks to

irrigate, he’s right out

there irrigating.’

Russ FullmerSidney Sugars

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The Montana Farm Bureau has received the New Horizon Award for its Young Farmers and Ranch-ers (YF&R) Hoofin’ It for Hunger program during the AFBF Annual Conven-tion Jan. 13-16 in Nashville, Tenn.

The New Horizon Award has been added to recog-nize new and innovative programs or projects conducted by states. This is

the first year the award has been presented. Hoofin’ It for Hunger is a 5K run that has been held in Missoula, Billings and Miles City that raised $6,500 for the Mon-tana Food Bank Network and food donations for local food banks.

In addition, MFBF received five awards for excellence in Agriculture Education and Promotion; Leadership Development;

Member Services; Policy Implementation and Public Relations and Information. MFBF also won two Presi-dent’s Awards for Educa-tion & Outreach and Policy Development & Implemen-tation. President’s Awards are the “best of the best” and are presented for excel-lence in each five program areas to states by member-ship category size.

MFBF received the

Navigator Award for having more than a 3.5 percent membership growth.

MFBF was also the first state in the nation to make AFBF membership quota. The state’s largest agricul-tural organization cur-rently has 19,000 member families.

“Even though we’re a small state in regards to population and member-ship, it’s impressive that

our hard-working volun-teers and staff are very competitive against much larger states,” noted MFBF President Bob Hanson. “It’s also been great to see that MFBF continues to in-crease its membership and member involvement and is rewarded for doing so.”

Twenty-five MFBF members are attending the convention.

Montana Farm Bureau Federation receives honors

SUBMITTED

MFBF President Bob Hanson, left, receives the New Horizon Award from AFBF President Bob Stallman.

Top 104C SUNDAY, JAN. 20, 2013 SIDNEY HERALD

Thank Youto everyone who helps make beet

harvest happen...both in the � eld & the factory.Thank you for taking time from

your regular jobsto work at the piling stations and

the factory and to drive beet trucks.

We sincerely appreciate all of you!

Montana-Dakota Beet Growers Association

Congratulations to theTop 10 Growers!

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BY STEVE BULLOCKMONTANA GOVERNOR

First, let me extend my congratulations to this year’s Top 10 sugar beet growers in the Sidney area. I’m sure it is rewarding to see all your hard work pay off with record crops.

Agriculture in Montana just finished its third consecutive year in which agricultural receipts are expected to exceed $3 bil-lion. Although much of that total can be attributed to the state’s largest commodities – wheat and beef – the rising value of Montana’s number one industry wouldn’t be possible without high-value crops like sugar beets.

The latest numbers from Montana’s office of the National Agricultural Sta-tistics Service indicate that sugar beets were planted on 46,600 acres during 2012, up slightly from 45,000 acres the previous year. Aver-age yields rose 3.2 tons per acre for a total production of nearly 1.3 million tons. According to farm and industry leaders, adoption

of Roundup Ready tech-nology gets part of the credit, boost-ing yields, making beet production more ef-ficient, and limiting the

number of crop chemicals needed. Richland and Big Horn counties continue to lead Montana in sugar beet production. And Richland County also ranks in the top five counties statewide in durum wheat, spring wheat, barley, corn and dry beans.

There are challenges ahead for agriculture, to be sure. In particular this year, it’s a top priority that we get a new Farm Bill through Congress – a priority that Montana’s congressio-nal delegation is actively pursuing. That bill needs to include the continuation of a sugar program at no cost to taxpayers.

But there also are new opportunities ahead. Among dryland crops, Montana has taken over the lead from

North Dakota in produc-ing lentils and dry peas – a fact that has attracted new buyers for these crops, and made it easier for farmers to grow and market these worthwhile rotation crops.

Until the 1950s, nearly 70 percent of all food con-sumed in Montana was grown or raised here. That number today is estimated to be just 10 percent. If we reverse this trend, it will not only mean economic benefits for agricultural producers, but it will mean money up and down Main Streets across the state. The movement toward local foods is bringing Montana slowly back to a situation in which schools and grocers can offer more products that are grown and processed right here in Montana.

Energy and agriculture have always been strong drivers of Montana’s economy. Having both in abundance makes north-eastern Montana a pretty good place to be. If there are ways my administration can help producers in your area succeed, please let us know.

BY MAX BAUCUSU.S. SENATOR

By all accounts, we had some of the largest per-acre sugar beet yields in the nation last year. And I was lucky to see those yields for myself when I spent the day loading sugar beets from the field into the wet hopper at the Western Sugar Coopera-tive Refinery & Warehouse in Billings during harvest season.

It’s no small achievement, and I salute each and every Montana sugar grower for the work they do to support jobs across the state. The sugar beets our farmers are bringing in support nearly 300 jobs in Sidney at the height of processing and another 150 paychecks in Billings.

That’s why I was proud

the USDA answered my ongoing call last summer and gave Roundup Ready sugar beets the green light for unre-stricted

cultivation and harvest. The decision means certainty for almost 100 percent of the nearly 31,000 sugar beet acres grown in Montana.

When some folks wanted to gut the sugar program in the Farm Bill, I stood up and said no. The sugar program supports our farmers and jobs at our sugar refineries. And, it doesn’t cost taxpay-ers a single dime. So you can count on me to lead that fight again as we continue working to pass a long-

term Farm Bill in the next Congress.

The Senate came together back in June to pass a full, five-year Farm Bill that continued the sugar pro-gram Montana growers and refiners depend on. Unfor-tunately, the House failed to act, so we are operating on a temporary extension. While I’m glad we were able to extend the sugar program, I also understand Montana farmers need long-term cer-tainty to continue support-ing jobs across our state. So I will be leading the charge again this year to pass a long-term Farm Bill that supports Montana sugar and Montana jobs.

U.S. Sen. Max Baucus is a se-nior member of the Senate Agriculture Committee.

Baucus

Sugar beet industry important for state’s economy

Governor salutes growers

Bullock

BILL VANDER WEELE | SIDNEY HERALD

Winners in 2007Receiving honors in 2007 for farms of more than 275 acres were, front from left, Shawn Conradsen and Cory Conradsen of Triple C Farms Inc. and Keith Nelson of KDN Farms; back, Kent Payette of Payette Farms Inc., Ken and Rob Schlothauer for Blue Carriage Farms Inc., and Todd Steinley and Dean Steinley of D.C. Farms Inc. and T & J Farms Inc.

Congratulations to the Top 10 Sugar Beet Growers 0f 2012!

Sugar beet growers in our area have worked the land for a long time,providing for their families and contributing greatly to the local economy.

At American State Bank and Trust Company, we are proud to provide loans, lines of credit, and all the financial services growers need to keep their business growing.

Thank you for letting ASB&T be a part of the sugar beet industry.American State Bank and Trust Company salutes all areasugar beet growers, and congratulates those named Top 10.

Congratulations, and best wishes as you look forward to the 2013 growing season!

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LOUISA BARBER | SIDNEY HERALDThis year’s MonDak Ag Days’ trade show featured many booths.

If you were not able tomake it to Ag Days last week,then you missed out on quitea good show. There were afew new vendors in the tradeshow area and the speakersthat the committee lined upfor the two-day event weretremendous.

I can honestly say that,starting with tips on de-clut-tering your home and office,and ending with properlysetting up your beet diggerprior to harvest; there wassomething for everyone.

One item that I would liketo bring to everyone’s atten-tion was a point that TrentLoos made at the banquet onThursday evening. I wishthat I had recorded his pres-entation because I know thatI will not remember thisword for word but I think Iwill get the point across. Atone point in the evening,Trent mentioned that thereare two types of people thathe respects the most in theUnited States. The first is the

American sol-dier and thesecond is theAmericanfarmer andrancher. Indiscussingthese twotypes of peo-ple and theirimportance tothe Americanway of life, he

talked about work he hasdone and is doing with theAll American Beef Battal-ion.

For those who are not fa-miliar with the All Ameri-can Beef Battalion, I wouldencourage you to visithttp://www.steaks-fortroops.com. Essentially,the purpose of this organiza-tion is to provide a steak din-ner to troops as they returnhome from deployment. Sonot only are they welcomingour heroes home the bestway they know how, but theyare also promoting an indus-

try that is very near and dearto the hearts of several of us.

The reason that I am bring-ing this up is because, at thebanquet, a group of our localproducers decided that itwould be a good idea to helpdonate to this great cause. Ido not have all of the detailsregarding this event but I doknow that, on Feb. 1, therewill be a beef animal ranthrough the auction sale atthe Yellowstone Livestock fa-cility and whatever money ismade on this animal will godirectly to this organization.

As I said, those are all ofthe details that I have regard-ing this project at this time. Iwill try and provide updatesas I know them. In the mean-time, I would encourage youto visit the website men-tioned above as donationscan be made to their causedirectly from that site.

If you have any furtherquestions, feel free to give mea call at 433-1206 or send anemail to tfine@montana.edu.

Ag Days featured tremendous speakers

Extension

Tim Fine

The sign-up period for participating in theAgricultural Water Enhancement ProgramAWEP for 2012 will end at the close of busi-ness Feb. 3.

AWEP is a special water conservation pro-gram that diverts additional EnvironmentalQuality Incentives Program funds to con-stituents of LYIP. This is the third year of afive-year program. The funds provide cost-share for new “on-farm” irrigation practicesthat conserve water. Officials have heard un-officially that the funds available this yearwill likely be about the same as last year,about 60 percentof the $1 million a year thatwas scheduled when the program was award-

ed in 2010.There are a good number of applicants that

were not funded last year that remain eligi-ble for this year’s program. They should re-new their interest by contacting their NRCSoffice. Ranking of past and current appli-cants will begin after the deadline.

This program does not provide any cost-share for revamping, crossing or alteringLYIP’s public waterways. However, LYIP hasan existing cost-share program with limita-tions to assist in this work.

Again, the deadline for this year’s sign-upis Feb. 3. Please contact your local NRCS of-fices for application information.

Water enhancement program sign-up under way

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CongratulationsTop 10

Congratulations Top 10 Beet Growers“Thanks for all your hard work on keeping our local economy going!”

Jaime Cargill has takenthe reins as the director ofthe Montana FFA Founda-tion. She replaces RameyLunceford who has taken asimilar position for theMichigan FFA Foundation.

Cargill hails from Crane,Ore., where she was a mem-ber of the Crane Union FFAChapter before obtaining adegree in communicationsand marketing from Boise

State Univer-sity. For thepast threeyears she hasbeen the spon-sorship mar-keting manag-er for the Gal-latin CountyFairgrounds.

“Jaime’sbackground growing up onher parents ranch and being

involved in FFA and 4-H,plus her skills in communi-cating about and marketingagricultural education, willbe vital as she takes our FFAFoundation forward,” CurtRobbins, president of theFFA Foundation board of di-rectors, said.

Cargill can be contacted atfoundation@montanaffa.orgor by calling her at 406-452-4118.

Cargill selected new Montana FFA Foundation director

Cargill

Top 10SIDNEY HERALD SUNDAY, JAN. 20, 2013 5C

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BY STEVE DAINESU.S. REPRESENTATIVE

Eastern Montana has experienced a lot of changes over the past few years, but one thing has stayed constant: the sugar industry remains an integral part of the economy in Montana’s Sunrise City.

From the fields that line the Yellowstone River to the Sidney Sugars factory, sugar provides valuable jobs for eastern Montan-ans. Montana beet farmers have consistently produced over 1 million tons of sugar beets per year for the past four years, adding tens of millions of dollars to Mon-tana’s economy each year. And Sidney Sugars is one of the largest employers in Richland County, providing hundreds of good jobs to area residents.

I know how important sugar production and agri-culture is to the strength of the Sidney community, and as Montana’s new Con-gressman, I am committed to working toward sound policies that help, not hurt, Montana’s ag producers.

Soon after being elected to Congress, I called the lead-ers of Montana’s ag groups to hear their thoughts and

concerns about how I could best serve the farmers and ranchers in our state. The number one thing I heard was how impor-

tant a long-term farm bill was to our state’s ag produc-ers.

Agriculture is a key part of Montana’s economy, and our farmers and ranchers need and deserve a five-year farm bill that provides them with the certainty needed to make long-term planning decisions. It’s unacceptable that Congress has created so much uncertainty for our ag producers and our consum-ers by letting the farm bill expire this summer.

The farm bill touches the lives of every American – it is vital to ensuring a safe and stable food supply and providing risk manage-ment tools to our farmers. As Montana’s voice in the House of Representatives, I will also work to find ways to promote Montana’s agricultural goods abroad, reduce regulations on farms and ranches, and make it easier for young people to

get into farming or ranch-ing. I will also work to ensure that strong language to reduce fraud and abuse in the distribution of food stamps is included in the final bill.

I am committed to work-ing for passage of legisla-

tion as soon as possible that achieves these goals. I will work to be an advocate for Montana’s farmers and ranchers, and look forward to working closely with Richland County’s sugar producers and serving as their voice in Washington, D.C.

Daines will work to help ag producers

Daines ‘It’s unacceptable that

Congress has created so

much uncertainty for our

ag producers and our

consumers by letting the

farm bill expire

this summer.’

Steve Daines U.S. representative

SUBMITTED

Top growers in 1987The top 10 growers of 1987 included, front from left, John Steinbeisser, Craig Steinbeisser, James Steinbeisser, Steve Joslin, Don Steinbeisser Jr., Rex Niles, Dave Steinbeisser and Don Steinbeisser; back, Dave Melin, ag manager, Leland Hagler, Keith Steinbeisser, Joe G. Steinbeisser Jr., Charles Hardy, Donald Hagler, Gary Dardis and Bill Steinbeisser. Not pictured is Vernon Peterson.

701.744.9051 Office - 701.744.9078 FaxMarty Shaide - 406.489.1441 Cell

Top 106C SUNDAY, JAN. 20, 2013 SIDNEY HERALD

We are proud to be associated with an incredible group of top growers this year. Thanks for growing with us.

Congratulations to our Top 10

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Congratulations to Mon-tana’s sugar beet growers. Despite last year’s record drought, Montana’s beet growers had a productive year. Thanks to our growers’ hard work, sugar beet yields and acreage were higher than the year before.

Montana’s sugar beet growers take tremendous risks to provide a product that millions of families across the nation enjoy. As the Senate’s only working farmer, I know that produc-ers need certainty to run their businesses and build our economy.

That’s why I worked with members from both parties to craft a Farm Bill that strengthens the safety net for farmers while saving taxpayers $23 billion. And, working together with Mon-tana producers, we success-fully blocked a provision in the Farm Bill that would

have elimi-nated crucial protections for sugar beet growers. The provi-sion was designed by politicians who don’t understand

the challenges facing sugar producers and the role they play in our state.

While Senate’s Farm Bill won bipartisan support, it was blocked by the U.S. House of Representatives. That means we will have to set partisanship aside this year to try again to pass a Farm Bill that works for Montana producers. Agri-culture is the backbone of our state’s economy, and our producers deserve a Farm Bill worthy of their hard work and dedication.

Last year, we also made

sure the Food and Drug Administration knows the difference between highly processed corn syrup and the sugar that comes from Montana’s beet fields. When sugar beet growers told me what the FDA was up to, we fought back against corn lobby efforts to rename high-fructose corn syrup as “sugar,” and together scored a victory for beet growers and for consumers who de-serve to know what is in the food they feed their families.

It is important to have a strong Montana voice at the table. If you need anything, please don’t hesitate to call Maia Aageson, my agricul-tural liaison, or Penny Zim-merman, who works out of my Glendive office. You can reach both of them toll-free at 866-554-4403.

Congratulations again, and good luck in the year ahead.

Tester congratulates area growers

Tester

Leadership development and agricultural education are just a few of the goals of the Farm Bureau Women’s Leadership Commit-tee (WLC). Several members of the Mon-tana Farm Bureau Women’s Leadership Committee attended WLC meetings during the AFBF Annual Convention Jan. 13-16 in Nashville, Tenn.

Gretchen Schubert, MFBF WLC chair, noted, “The Women’s Leadership Commit-tee, both on the national and state level, has had an excellent year, with more women than ever getting out to tell agriculture’s story. One of our big events is Food Check-Out Week, which is Feb, 17-23. This is a great way to let the general public know that, yes, there are real families out there growing your food.”

“We talked about Farm Bureau’s Centen-nial Development Plan, and the fact that the WLC is going to remain dedicated to devel-oping women leaders,” Schubert, a Huntley

rancher, said. “This is a work in progress, and we feel it should continue. Women’s voices need to be heard, and the WLC allows us to develop skills so they can be.”

Lillian Ostendorf, who represents the western region on AFBF WLC board, said the meetings went well. “We talked about the national Food Check-Out Week event that will take place in Phoenix this year,” said Ostendorf. “This year we’re going to have the event at a Farmers’ Market. We thought this was a good place to visit with the general public and talk to them about the abundant food produced by America’s farmers and ranchers.” In addition to educating consumers about agriculture, Food Check-Out Week raises funds and food for the Ronald McDonald House and other charities.

Ostendorf, a Powderville area rancher, noted the committee will be working on a “Day in the Life” video for social media.

Farm Bureau women celebrate outstanding year

SUBMITTED

Best of 1997The top 10 growers in 1997 included, front from left, Roger Bearce, Ken Gardner, Brad Haidle, Rusty Knels, Gary Rod, Troy Conradsen and Shawn Conradsen; back, Larry Riggs, agriculturist, Ed Heinle, Milo Payette, Art Damm, William Iversen and Randy Jones, agriculturist. Not pictured are Cory Conradsen, Kent Payette, Dale Iversen, Russ Fullmer, ag manager, Kerry Rasmussen, agriculturist, and Curt Meyer, agriculturist

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BY SARAH BLOOMSIDNEY HERALD

Jeremy Norby, Seitz Insur-ance, spoke to farm owners and alike on Jan. 10 at the MonDak Ag Days on the ins and outs of insuring a farm, among other assets included.

The first topic of discus-sion was the basic question, “Why have insurance?” While there are legal, finan-cial institution and contrac-tual requirements, perhaps the most important reason-ing in purchasing a quality insurance is using it as a risk management tool.

“One of the things you have to keep in mind is keep-ing it a business,” Norby said.

He proceeded to go over some major losses that could incur on one’s property. If a shop or large machinery were to get damaged in a fire of some sort and one hasn’t maintained the value of whatever was damaged to their insurance company, a check in the mail from your agent may be one quarter of its current value. Any inven-tory in the shop that was damaged will be covered, but only to the extent of what the insurance company is aware of.

An involved audience member suggested keep-ing photos of one’s inven-tory. Norby added the use of photos keeps the insurance process going with proof of ownership and therefore proof of loss.

And the process is perhaps the most important part to filing an insurance claim because for hard working farmers, time is everything. Losing one’s shop and not getting a check for an up-to-date value on the shop is los-ing valuable time- business interruption.

But anything could happen to anyone. Keeping photos and a current check of your inventory on valuables won’t prevent things like business interruption. Norby suggest-ed the addition of liability

catastrophe. An addition of this cushion to one’s insur-ance plan could make hard times a bit less stressful on any farmer.

The components of a typical farm insurance plan include obvious things like farm property, liability and auto, but Norby suggests one looks into umbrella, or excess policies. “Typically, you’re tapped out at a mil-lion dollars,” he said. “The question is what is enough? Who knows.”

With newcomers to the area, resident farmers should be weary of making sure their insurance policy covers their assets. Having a policy that covers $300,000 on a $5 million operation could be an invite for people to go after that.

Other additions farmers should always be weary of include crop insurance and workers compensation.

“One of the things you want to keep in mind is to cover that part-time worker,” Norby said. And about $390 a year covers it and leaves one worry-free. “You’re doing your part by keeping that workers comp.,” he added.

In worrying about cover-age for your assets, Norby explains health and life insurance are just as impor-tant. “One of the top causes of bankruptcy is health related debt,” he said. And with an extensive life insur-

ance plan, one can ensure “the next generation has ability to continue”.

For farmers with any kind of off-premisses drivers, making sure one knows who is behind that wheel is vital. A company owner’s “liveli-hood” rests in the driver’s seat and an extensive insur-ance coverage can keep some piece of mind.

Some gaps in coverage of an insurance poly can include any kind of valuable records or papers, off-pre-messis toys (a four-wheeler) or equipment breakdown. Making sure one has all of these things somewhere in the insurance contract could prevent a lot of headaches further down the road.

Other things to consider include being aware of the changes being made in the department of transporta-tion, especially with the pressure from the oil field, the safety of transporting livestock and making sure not only one’s animals are insured but one has pro-tection against perhaps a neighbors livestock.

In an area that is filled with newcomers and money to be made, keeping an extensive, full-coverage insurance policy is going to give farmers some ease.

“Anytime you’re making money, someone else wants money too,” Norby said.

Many plusses for farmers,ranchers to have insurance

SARAH BLOOM | SIDNEY HERALD

Jeremy Norby, Seitz Insurance, provides information during MonDak Ag Days.

BY AMERICAN SUGAR ALLIANCEWhether you live in one of the many

communities dependent on sugar produc-tion, are a taxpayer keeping a watchful eye on federal dollars, or a grocery shopper enjoying a safe and affordable sugar supply, you’re benefiting from America’s sugar producers.

Despite its importance to the country, the sugar industry has seen hard times in past years. Since 1985, more than half of the nation’s sugar facilities have shut down. Despite current strong prices, more clo-sures are possible in the future as producers wrestle with new challenges, including high input costs, predatory trade practices, and relentless policy attacks by well-heeled food manufacturers.

• America’s sugar producers support 142,000 U.S. jobs.

• Sugar farmers don’t receive government subsidy checks.

• Sugar producers generate nearly $20 bil-lion a year for the U.S. economy.

• Sugar production occurs in 18 states.• Sugar producers’ fuel costs have sky-

rocketed by 251 percent since 1985.• Two-thirds of Americans believe sugar

in the U.S. is inexpensive.• Food manufacturers pocket lower sugar

prices to boost profits instead of sharing the savings with shoppers.

• Seven out of 10 of Americans prefer buying U.S. sugar, even if foreign sugar is cheaper.

0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

11,560

10,016

8,912 8,7109,175 9,350

9,983

8,489 8,436 8,459 8,562 8,577 8,686

2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022

SugarAll Other

Government Net Outlays for Sugar and All Other Commodity Programs, 2009-2022

- Million dollars -

Source: USDA/FSA, Budget Division, Commodities Estimates Book for FY 2013 President's Budget, Output 9, CCC Net Budgetary Expenditures and Other Financial Data, Major Commodity Program Summary, February 2012. http://www.fsa.usda.gov/Internet/FSA_File/pb13_table_09a09b.pdf.

2009-2022 Total Net Outlays:All Other Programs : $127 billionSugar: Zero

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