American Crystal Sugar history

1900 American Beet opens factory in Rocky Ford, Colorado.

1918 Crookston-area farmer Carl Wigand ships beets to Chaska, Minnesota, for processing.

By 1919, Red River Valley farmers were experiencing success with sugarbeet growing and had begun shipping their harvest to the Chaska plant.

In 1922, a crisis was at hand for Colorado's American Beet Sugar Company, which was fast becoming a neglected and vulnerable family business.

1923 Minnesota Sugar Company announces plans for beet sugar factory in East Grand Forks, Minnesota.

The completion of the deal appeared a foregone conclusion--considering the high interest of all parties involved--until a conference with Douglas at the behest of American Beet was held in Chicago in September 1924.

1925: In January, the factory, named Midland Sugar Company, was built in Sidney, Montana.

The Red River Valley Sugarbeet Growers Association (RRVSGA) was formed in 1926 for the purpose of representing growers who grew sugarbeets for the old American Beet Sugar Company, later to become the American Crystal Sugar Company.

1928 S.W. Sinsheimer becomes American Beet president.

1929 American Beet takes control of Amalgamated sugar, which operates several factories in Utah, Idaho and Montana.

All told, the company lost $1.3 million in 1934.

Following the war, American Crystal readied for expansion, purchasing land for two additional plants in 1946.

1948: Moorhead, Minnesota, processing plant is completed.

1954: Third processing plant is built in Crookston, Minnesota.

1962 Red River Valley Sugarbeet Growers Association hires Al Bloomquist as executive director.

1965 American Crystal's fourth Red River Valley factory, in Drayton, North Dakota, opens October 2.

The other was Southern Minnesota Beet Sugar Cooperative (SMBSC), which was established after that area's Growers Association received word in 1971 that the Chaska plant was due to close forever at the end of the season.

1972 On January 28, Bloomquist writes Briggs, proposing that valley growers buy American Crystal.

SMBSC began construction of their $60 million plant, located east of Renville in southern Minnesota, in early 1973.

One was a North Dakota group called Minn-Dak Farmers Cooperative (Minn-Dak), which formed in the Wahpeton area and proceeded to dedicate a plant there before the 1974 harvest.

The company also grew in 1975 by absorbing the Red River Valley Cooperative, which was proceeding with the construction of a factory in Hillsboro, North Dakota.

1976 The Company celebrates the opening of an addition to the East Grand Forks, Minnesota, plant that increases its slicing capacity by 4,500 tons per day.

1977 In just four years, American Crystal increases beet acreage to 300,000 acres, nearly doubling the acreage planted when the Company was run from Denver.

In an early sign of partnership, American Crystal managed the plant until 1978, when SMBSC took control.

1979 The company begins using forced ventilation into sugarbeet piles to cool them more effectively.

In 1982 American Crystal joined Minn-Dak and SMBSC as a partner in Midwest Agri-Commodities Company.

1983 Pat Benedict is elected chairman of the Board.

1987 Clark Ewen is elected chairman of the board for the second time.

1989 Fred Born is elected chairman of the board.

1990 Al Bloomquist caps his many years of service to growers by serving as president and CEO.

In June 1991 American Crystal announced plans to construct a $31 million molasses desugarization plant at its East Grand Forks site in order to increase the co-op's production capacity.

Meantime, in March 1992 Joseph P. Famalette was hired as president and CEO of American Crystal to replace the retiring Al Bloomquist.

In 1993 Japanese buyers represented Midwest's largest customer base, purchasing some 63 percent of the pulp produced by Midwest, a figure that in turn represented more than 60 percent of all beet pulp imported by Japan.

In the fall of 1994 American Crystal raised more than $28 million and increased its sugarbeet production through a public stock offering.

In April 1995 Famalette resigned to take a position with a California co-op.

Just a few months after the ProGold facility began production of corn sweeteners in October 1996, the bottom dropped out of that market due to excess supply.

During 1997 American Crystal also completed a study of future growth opportunities, which concluded that diversification should be abandoned in favor of a recommitment to the sugar industry.

In 1998 American Crystal completed the largest beet-slicing expansion in its history through expansion of its East Grand Forks and Hillsboro facilities, which work cost $57 million.

1999: American Crystal increases its sugarbeet acreage to 500,000.

Slated to be operational in 2000, this project was being completed by Crystech L.L.C., a 50-50 joint venture of American Crystal and Toronto-based Newcourt Credit Group Inc.

2001 Robert Vivatson is elected chairman of the board.

2002: October 7, American Crystal Sugar Company, headquartered in Moorhead, Minnesota, purchased the Holly Sugar factory from Imperial Sugar Company and named it Sidney Sugars Incorporated.

2003 American Crystal Sugar Company celebrates its 30 year anniversary as a cooperative.

2004 G. Terry Stadstad is elected chairman of the board.

2005 David Kragnes is elected chairman of the board.

2007 David Berg is named President and CEO. Michael Astrup is elected chairman of the board.

2008 Francis Kritzberger is elected chairman of the board.

2009 Neil Widner is elected chairman of the board.

In 2011, the industry generated $105 million of sales and use, personal income, and corporate income taxes in Minnesota and North Dakota with an additional $15.4 million in property taxes paid.

2012 The deregulation of Roundup Ready sugarbeet seed varieties is finalized after the USDA finds they have no significant adverse impact on the environment.

2013 After a fifth vote, BCTGM agree to a new 4 year labor accord ending a 22 month long lockout.

2015 The United States sugar industry wins its Antidumping / Countervailing Duties case against Mexico.

In 2016 growers planted nearly just over 400,000 acres of sugarbeets, processing them in five factories.

2017 Curt Knutson is elected chairman of the board.