www.SugarProducer.com 29
technology that should permit growers to use
fewer chemicals and less volume per acre in
the future," Berg said. "Many people inside
and outside the United States strongly resist
the use of genetic techniques to improve
agriculture. But the reality of increasing
populations will make the use of genetically
engineered varieties more—not less—preva-
lent in coming years."
The use of new technologies and sugar-
beet varieties should enhance profitability
by 2025. Horny notes simply that sugarbeets
have been "the mortgage lifter." Sugarbeets
must continue to be profitable to attract
growers in the future.
"Sugarbeets are too much work not to be
profitable," said Horny. If profit margins
decline, growers will find another crop or
another line of work.
Poindexter is less sure. From his vantage
point production costs might increase by
2025, cutting into profits. Moreover competi-
tion may intensify, putting downward pres-
sure on sugar prices.
Sinner worries about the trend toward
free trade and globalism, noting that some 41
sugarcane-producing countries have access
to U.S. markets, a number that is likely to
increase by 2025.
"It's difficult to compete against third
world cane sugar," Sinner said.
Wagner puts the matter succinctly: "Any
increase in market access to other countries
would likely be filled by cane sugar."
If many of these predictions hold true,
the future of sugarbeet culture in the United
States will depend on biotech and new tech-
nology. The future may be fraught with
competition, leaving profitability at issue.
Belt tightening may be in order. n
"Sugarbeets are too much work not to be profitable,"
~ Paul Horny
