Betaseed: Optimize each seed you plant with our research-driven, high performing sugarbeet seeds

Betaseed, North America’s premier sugarbeet brand, today announces Blake Buck as the new Key Account Manager, serving sugarbeet producers in the MDFC, SMBSC, and Lantic growing areas.

“Blake has tenured experience and agronomic knowledge that producers will find a valuable resource to assist them in achieving their crop production and profitability goals,” says Jason Evenson, Betaseed’s Brand Sales Leader.

“Blake holds a B.S. degree in General Agriculture from North Dakota State University and has in-depth knowledge of sugarbeet hybrids and production,” Evenson says. “Blake is committed to field and operational success that will add to the strength of our team. Many producers already have a relationship with Blake through his work during the past 14 years at MDFC as an Agriculturalist.”

Buck resides in Wahpeton, North Dakota along with his wife and three children. Blake will start his new role on May 19th and will work alongside Cody Lehman, the current Key Account Manager, until his retirement on July 1st. Lehman has been an integral part of the Betaseed organization for more than 27 years. We sincerely thank Cody for his many years of dedicated service to the organization and wish him all the best in retirement!

Reach Blake at: 701-964-9476, or bbuck@betaseed.com

Media Contact:
Sonja Flancher
Mobile: 612-997-1063

American Crystal Sugar Company - Red River Valley

• Planting began around Apr 14th and really gained momentum the week following.
• Currently, ACSC is planted to around 78% as of the last week of April.
• Planting should be complete over the next week or so.
• Soil conditions began mostly ideal as moisture above the frostline was pushing into the seedbed at night.
• Rainfall saturated the majority of the Red River Valley this week giving around an inch or more of rainfall.
• Early seeded beets are sprouting with few indications of emergence!

Michigan Sugar

• As of May 5th, Michigan Sugar Company is reporting 97.5% of the 2025 crop is planted. Rainfall received on May 1st was a welcome sight helping germination and emergence of acres already planted.
• Some earlier planted acres struggled with a crust and emerged beets experienced high winds on April 28-29. Stand counts have been completed in many areas and a few acres of replants may be required.
• Betaseed has 4 strip trials in Michigan this year, in addition to the Sugarbeet Advancement Variety Strip trials and Michigan Sugar Company Official Variety Trials and Plant to Stands. Betaseed and Sugarbeet Advancement trials are planted, while Michigan Sugar is about halfway through planting their 2025 trials.
• Favorable late April planting and growing conditions saw many acres of soybeans and corn being planted with in season fertility and herbicide applications being applied to a great looking winter wheat crop.

Western Sugar Cooperative - North Region

• The last of the acres should be planted the end of this week. We’ve had plenty of showers to extend the planting from the first of April to May.
• Early emergence looks good with stands filling in nicely in MT. Roundup applications have been slowed due to rain, causing soft spots in fields.
• Powell/Lovell growers started planting first week of April and irrigation water came in by the 15th . Quite a bit of the acreage has now been irrigated for emergence, with good stands on those first sets of watering.

Western Sugar Cooperative - South Region

• Currently 98% planted.
• Extremely dry conditions with continued winds, but very minimal crusting issues due to dry weather hampering emergence.
• Irrigation of crop has or will begin in the next 7-10 days.

Wyoming Sugar

• Due to continuing showery weather conditions the planting season has been long and drawn out. Planting is about 90% finished with the last 10% of acres to be planted by the end of this week.
• Acres appear to be close to last year’s number, giving the Co-op a good potential for a strong campaign length.
• Emergence on the first planted beets are up and stands seem to be healthy and vibrant. Quite a few acres will not need irrigation for emergence.

Amalgamated Sugar - Idaho

• 100% initial planted.
• Replants to date, 10,000 approximately.
• All stages of beets from just planted to 8 leaf stage.
• Still processing the 2024 crop.

Southern Minnesota Beet Sugar Cooperative

• The SMBSC growers got off to a good start this spring and a lot of acres were planted in a short period of time. Nearly 93% of the beets went in between April 15 – 29.
• They are currently just a handful of acres to be planted this week, and the coop should be 100% completed by the weeks end.
• Some areas have had some smaller rain events to help activate herbicides and help with germination.
• The attached photos were taken by Agriculturist Dylan Swenson on May 8th of a field of BTS 9284 near E. Lake Lilian, which was planted around the 19th of April.
• The extended forecast looks to be warm and on the drier side until the middle of the month.

Minn-Dak Farmers Cooperative - Minnesota & North Dakota

• The MDFC growers are progressing nicely with their planting progress and are currently between 85% - 90% completed.
• There is an area in the northern region near Barnesville, Mn that is still on the wet side. But the extended forecast looks to be warm and dry, so the remaining acres should be planted in the next few days.
• Betaseed planted two mini strip trials on April 23, one near Foxhome, Mn and the other near Comstock, MN. See attached pictures.
• Also, included are a couple of pictures from the Comstock MDFC OVT trial that was planted April 24th. In both cases the beets were just starting to emerge in the last day or so.