Winners, Losers & What It Means for America’s Sweetest Crop
On February 10, 2026, the U.S. Department of Agriculture released its updated FY 2026 domestic sugar marketing allotments, reshaping how much beet sugar each processor—and by extension, each beet growing state—may market in the coming fiscal year.
These reassignments are part of the USDA’s mandate under the Agricultural Adjustment Act of 1938 to ensure that total domestic sugar supply can be efficiently marketed nationwide.
While cane sugar saw a major shift of more than 315,000 short tons from Florida to Louisiana, the biggest story for beet growers lies in the fine tuned rebalancing among the nation’s seven beet processors, each representing crucial beet producing states across the northern tier of the country.
How the FY 2026 Beet Sugar Allotments Changed
USDA’s reassignment process transfers allotments from processors with surplus capacity to those with deficit capacity, based on projected ability to market their supplies.
Here’s what changed for each processor (and their corresponding states):
1. Amalgamated Sugar Company
States represented: Idaho, Oregon, Washington
- Allocation change: +70,374 short tons
- Revised allocation: 1,253,366 short tons
This sizeable increase strengthens the position of Idaho—the nation’s largest beet producing state—and supports strong marketing expectations across the Pacific Northwest.
2. American Crystal Sugar Company
States represented: Minnesota, North Dakota, (parts of) Montana
- Allocation change: +30,412 short tons
- Revised allocation: 2,062,295 short tons
Already the largest beet processor in the U.S., American Crystal’s modest increase reflects strong demand and continued efficient production in the Red River Valley.
3. Michigan Sugar Company
State represented: Michigan
- Allocation change: +49,008 short tons
- Revised allocation: 619,628 short tons
Michigan—unique for being the only beet producing state east of the Mississippi—sees a significant bump, reinforcing the stability of its long running cooperative model.
4. Minn Dak Farmers Cooperative
State represented: North Dakota
- Allocation change: –18,201 short tons
- Revised allocation: 365,520 short tons
This reduction suggests marketing constraints compared with neighboring processors in the region.
5. Southern Minnesota Beet Sugar Cooperative
State represented: Minnesota
- Allocation change: –204,443 short tons
- Revised allocation: 541,286 short tons
This is the most dramatic decrease among beet processors, signaling a meaningful shift in how USDA expects supplies to move in the Upper Midwest.
6. The Western Sugar Cooperative
States represented: Colorado, Wyoming, Montana, Nebraska
- Allocation change: +58,593 short tons
- Revised allocation: 622,606 short tons
Western Sugar serves a wide geography, and the increase supports expanded marketing potential throughout the High Plains region.
7. Wyoming Sugar Company, LLC
State represented: Wyoming
- Allocation change: +14,256 short tons
- Revised allocation: 60,519 short tons
Wyoming’s increase—confirmed both in the Federal Register data and local reporting—represents a meaningful boost to the state’s independent sugar industry, helping stabilize rural communities in the Big Horn Basin.
What These Changes Mean
The total national beet allotment remains unchanged at 5,525,221 short tons.
Increases for processors in Idaho, Minnesota/North Dakota (via American Crystal), Michigan, and Wyoming suggest strong production capacity and optimistic marketing conditions.
USDA undertakes the reassignment process to ensures that U.S. grown beet sugar does not go unmarketed—a key stabilizer for both farm income and supply chains.
Background: America’s Top Sugar Beet States
U.S. sugar beet production is geographically concentrated in the northern states, where cool climates favor beets’ long growing season. The major beet producing states—represented across the processors above—include:
- Idaho -- The nation’s leading sugar beet producer, anchored by Amalgamated Sugar.
- Idaho’s Snake River Plain offers fertile soils, irrigation, and long established cooperative farming communities.
- Minnesota & North Dakota -- Home to American Crystal Sugar and Southern Minnesota Beet Co op, the Red River Valley is one of the world’s most productive beet growing regions. The area’s heavy clay soils and cool nights boost sugar content.
- Michigan -- Michigan Sugar Company operates one of the oldest beet cooperatives, with growers clustered around the Thumb region. Its production is essential for supplying eastern U.S. markets.
- Colorado, Wyoming, Nebraska, Montana -- Represented by Western Sugar and Wyoming Sugar Company, these High Plains states rely on irrigated agriculture to maintain steady beet production. Wyoming, in particular, has a deep cultural and economic connection to sugar beets.
Photo Credit: Vero Lova