Western Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education

Across the Western U.S., the Western Sugar Cooperative is proving that less is more when it comes to nitrogen management and sugar beet quality. Historically, fertilizer models focused primarily on maximizing tonnage. However, research shows that too much nitrogen can actually reduce sugar content and lower overall crop quality. While initial small-scale tests were promising, a Western SARE Professional + Producer grant allowed the Cooperative to prove these results work at scale on commercial acreage.

By shifting the focus to prioritize maximum sugar per acre rather than raw sugar beet yield, participating farmers saw measurable increases in both sugar yield and revenue. The economic and environmental success of this research has been so significant that the Cooperative is now enrolling another 100 growers to participate in the program over the next four years.