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Published August 24, 2011, 11:22 AM

Growers counting on efficiency of replacements

MOORHEAD, Minn. (AP) — The 2,800 beet growers who own the American Crystal Sugar cooperative will soon be relying on inexperienced replacement workers to turn their crops into cash.

  • Thomas Rohde
    • image
    Thomas Rohde mans Gate 3 at The Moorhead., Minn., American Crystal Sugar Plant Monday, Aug. 1, 2011 following a lockout of Bakery Confectionery Tobacco Workers & Grain Millers union workers. Rohde usually packages sugar year-round. (AP Photo/The Forum, Michael Vosburg)

MOORHEAD, Minn. (AP) — The 2,800 beet growers who own the American Crystal Sugar cooperative will soon be relying on inexperienced replacement workers to turn their crops into cash.

Poor weather has delayed the harvest, so workers at the cooperative's five Red River Valley plants haven't started processing beets yet. The Moorhead company locked out about 1,300 union workers on Aug. 1 after their labor contract expired. The union had voted down American Crystal's contract offer.

About 950 replacement workers are on the job. Another 300 will join them once the harvest begins.

The beet farmers' income will rely, in part, on the efficiency of the processing. The Star Tribune (http://bit.ly/ofEKCj) says the company is estimating a yield of 20 tons per acre this year, down from an average 25 tons. Processing is expected to start early next month.

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