Sugar Producer

www.SugarProducer.com 19 Richmond Ultimate Defoliator Unit Highest Quality Defoliating Increased Productivity Per Hour • Available for all defoliator models • Available in 4, 6 and the new 8 bar unit • Available in 12" (6 fl ail), 14" (7 fl ail), 16" (8 fl ail) depending on rw width • Balanced unit for minimized vibration • 50% thicker fl ail mounting bracket • Hardened 3/4" diameter fl ail rod for the best wearability in the industry • Designed to eliminate side to side fl ail movement • Eliminates the need for steel units allowing for increased adjustability of front & middle drum. • Available in Standard Duty & Heavy Duty high quality fl ails. • Units can be installed 1 drum at a time • Easily shipped UPS or Freight in US & Canada - Visa accepted Richmond Brothers Fabrication Specializing In Beet Harvester & Defoliating Parts 989-453-7097 • Increased Ground Speed • Decreased PTO RPM Speed • Increase fl exibility in diffi cult defoliating conditions • Minimal Damage To Beet 8 Bar System 151373RicBro13.indd 1 12/3/14 2:27 PM 170786HCLMac112.indd 1 11/30/17 8:42 AM On the political front, the presidential race is off and running. Democrats will be in the process of "thinning the herd" of over 20 candidates—which will occur over time as a result of a lack of campaign finances and media attention for many of them. The challenge in a bruising primary battle is not to damage the final nominee so badly in the process that it harms him or her in the general election. The Democratically led House will relentlessly attack the president through the 2020 elections. President Trump is a powerful campaigner, so you can expect great theater in the months ahead. We are closely watching Senate and House races as retirements in both chambers— along with some states having to change the shapes of their districts—will open up interesting matchups for 2020. Filing dates to run for office are different for each state. They begin as early as November of this year with the bulk of them closed by May of 2020. We will examine each of the contests and meet with candidates in many of the key races. The ASGA's recent work also includes the following: PROVYSOL Sugarbeet growers for the Michigan Sugar Company, the Minn-Dak Farmers Cooperative and the Southern Minnesota Beet Sugar Cooperative were granted an emergency exemption use by the EPA (known as a Section 18) to use Provysol to control Cercospora leaf spot (CLS). CLS caused over $100 million damage in 2018 to those cooperatives, and the disease continues to spread. Getting an emergency approval was a multi-faceted effort that involved the departments of agriculture for the states of Michigan, Minnesota and North Dakota submitting comprehensive applications with the help and encouragement of the cooperatives. The ASGA and U.S. Beet Sugar Association also assisted in the efforts, along with grower-leaders who came to D.C. to make a personal appeal to the EPA. Our champions in Congress were also vital to this effort. Provysol is currently being reviewed by the EPA for full registration for many crops, so we are hopeful it will be available in the near future to all the sugarbeet growers in the country. CROP INSURANCE As you near early harvest in late summer, you should be reminded that the new crop insurance provisions now contain an early harvest factor and several other changes to the policy. The USDA Risk Management Agency published a helpful Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) page on its website regarding the new provisions: www. rma.usda.gov/en/News-Room/ Frequently-Asked-Questions/Sugar- Beet. Several of the key questions relating to the early harvest factor and other significant changes to the provisions are answered on this page. 2019 INTERN Many thanks to ASGA intern Todd Lackman from Hysham, Mont., for his tremendous work on creating awesome PowerPoint presentations on key issues such as pesticides and sustainability for our industry. Todd also pulled together important data for our public relations program. He spent eight weeks meeting many congressmen and visiting many wonderful sites in Washington, D.C. It is a tremendous opportunity for a young adult to see all the work and effort it takes to care for our industry. Thank you, Todd, for all of your help! n

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