Research Centers receive sweet gift from sugar beet growers

South-central Montana sugar beet growers have given a sweet gift to the Montana Agricultural Experiment Station research centers Million Dollar Match Fund — a percent of their crop production from 2003-2005.

http://www.montana.edu/commserv/csnews/nwview.php?article=1502

In 2001, the Montana Legislature approved $1 million for construction and repair of the station’s research centers, but only if the station could come up with a million dollars in non-state donations to match the state. With the gifts of the two sugar beet associations, MSU has achieved about $680,000 in cash or pledges toward that goal.

"We see the importance of a functioning experiment station," said Greg Lackman, president of Mountain States Beet Growers Association. "The growers felt that to keep the center’s quality research ongoing, it would be worthwhile to donate to the matching fund."

The board of directors of Big Horn County Sugar beet Growers Association also voted to make such a gift to the fund.

"Research is very important to farmers. The barley and beet research they do at the Southern Agricultural Research Center is something we need," said Richard Benzel of Hardin, president of the Big Horn County Sugar beet Growers Association. He said the directors will recommend the donation to members at their meeting this month.

Both associations produce sugar beets for the Western Sugar Cooperative factory in Billings.

The two gifts are expected to total $40,000 over the three years, and these sugar beet growers are the first producer organizations to contribute to the matching fund.

Jeff Jacobsen, interim director of the experiment station that is headquartered at MSU, said "this is the first production ag group in Montana to step up in a significant way. We hope other ag groups and allied industries will recognize this project’s worthiness and long-term impact."

Montana has seven research centers across the state. This million dollar match program applies to five of the seven research centers, those near Havre, Kalispell, Huntley, Sidney and Moccasin. The growers’ gift toward the Million Dollar Match is expected to aid construction of a new office laboratory building as well as a new shop and machine storage facilities at the Southern Agricultural Research Center near Huntley.

"This contribution from the beet growers is a referendum in my mind on the accomplishments that we’ve been able to obtain at the research center in the last five years," said Ken Kephart, superintendent at Southern. "This is confirmation that we’re conducting research that helps the farmers of south-central Montana.

Contact: Jeff Jacobsen (406) 994-3681, Ken Kephart (406) 348-3400