Security tight at American Crystal annual meeting

One thing is for certain at Crystal's Annual Meeting: Security was tight.

With Crystal Sugar paying for most of the meeting rooms at the Holiday Inn today, even the hallway doors leading to the meeting rooms were shut. Hired security, wearing suits, more than a dozen of them stood at doors and near registration areas of the Crystal Meeting.

Dave Berg – American Crystal CEO: “I don't think it was important, you take precautions but you don't see things going to that level. I just don't.”

Meantime, the union held a news conference in the same hotel, just yards away from Crystal Sugar Execs. The union says it was aware of increased security here.

John Riskey – Union President: “I don't know what they are afraid of, I really don't. We are their neighbors and friends, I thought we had a good working relationship.”

The Union did not plan any kind of protest at the annual meeting. Still, a strong presence of security stood by every door in case frustrations spilled from the picket line and to a hotel full of sugar beet growers, tonight celebrating the co-op's $1.5 billion year.

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