MONTANA AND THE SUGAR BEET INDUSTRY 



UGAR Beets constitute one of the import- 

 ant cash crops grown in Montana, the in- 

 dustry having expanded to approximately 

 three times the reported acreage shown by 

 the Federal Census of 1910. In 1926 the 

 acreage devoted to sugar beets was estimat- 

 ed to be 30 000, giving a production of 

 348 000 tons, compared with 1925 acreage of 

 30,000 and a production of 315,000 tons, 

 and 1924 acreage of 31,000 acres and a prod- 

 uction of 326,000 tons. The expansion in 

 sugar beet acreage has brought two new 

 sugar refineries into the state, making three 

 in all. The pioneer refinery is located at 

 Billings and operated by the Great Western 

 Sugar Company; one of the new sugar fac- 

 tories is located at Chinook, operated by the Utah-Idaho Sugar Company, and 

 the other is at Sidney, operated by the Holly Sugar Company. 



Hand in hand with the development of sugar beet raising in Montana has 

 gone the development of winter feeding and fattening of cattle, sheep and hogs 

 in the factory areas of the state. 



Upwards of 100,000 head of sheep and lambs have been fattened in these 

 areas on an average for the past several years and an average of about 30,000 

 head of cattle have been fed for market with beet pulp as the basis of the fat- 

 tening ration. 



The market value of livestock fattened as in these areas will annuaUy exceed 

 three millions of dollars, or the value of the beet crop itself. 



