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Show Meet Called To Fight Proposed Beet Planting Cut Speakers Point Out That Plan Constitutes Grave Threat To Industry Recently a meeting of sugar beet growers and sugar processors was held in Denver, Colo., and representatives repre-sentatives of the sugar producing areas of 19 states attended the meeting. The meeting was held primarily because it had recently been brought to the attention of the industry that the officials of the Department of Agriculture in outlining out-lining crop production goals for 1944, it was clearly shown that plans were proceeding for a reduction re-duction in sugar beet acreage to be planted the coming year, and which would not be as large as the curtailed beet acreage of 1943. Immediate Concern Various speakers at this meeting meet-ing pointed out that a production plan of this kind was an immedate concern to the sugar industry and constituted a grave threat to its continued existence. At this meeting a permanent American sugar beet industry policy committee was appointed and W. J. Gorst of Worland, Wyo., was appointed chairman of the general committee, and Frank A. Kemp of the Great Western Sugar company was made chairman of the executive committee. State committees of the sugar producing produc-ing states were organized and contacts con-tacts are being made by these committees to urge state senators and state representatives and the War Food Administration board, of the impo-tance of holding up the sugar beet acreage over the United States for the production of sugar to a goal consistent with the industries demonstrated ability to produce. Indicates Intentions It has been reported that the War Food Administration had indicated in-dicated their intention of holding 1944 sugar beet acreage to abnormally ab-normally low acreage of 1943. The heavy reduction in the 1943 sugar beet acreage planted was largely the fault of authorities in Washington, Wash-ington, who delayed for months the development of 1943 production produc-tion program. As a result of that mistake and farmers not being able to wait with their sugar beet planting, a heavy reduction in acreage took place which has caused, the closing down of almost a score of sugar factories 1 that will not open this Fall, and which may severely effect the rationing program. ' Any reduction in sugar beet acreage planted for the production of sugar effects our local district here because of it being a sugar beet seed loosing area. The re-( re-( Continued on page eight) Beet Men Meet (Continued from first page) duction of the acreage of sugar beet planting for 1913 tributary to the different sugar factories has decreased the beet seed acreage acre-age to be planted this Fall in this district to the extent of about 250 acres of beet seed. Interest Being Shown Much interest is being shown and contacts with senators and representatives in Washington are being made, in order to restore for another year a normal planting plant-ing of sugar beets for the production produc-tion of sugar and if this can be accomplished it is anticipated the plantings of beet seed acreage in the Fall of 1944 will be restored or increased to a normal acreage production. The threshing of the present beet seed crop is going along nicely. It is estimated about 50 per cent of seed acreage has ,been threshed and it is the intent of 'the local sugar company to commence com-mence re-cleaning beet seed at the beet plant on August 16. |