Talk:Sugar beet

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[edit] US sugar industry

I'm not competent to write about this (and have no axe to grind), but it is my understanding that the sugar-beet industry in the US has received special protection from cane sugar imports with the results that

  1. US sugar prices are the highest in the world
  2. third-world sugar producers are blocked from the largest market in the world
  3. many US-made products are sweetened with corn syrup instead of either beet or cane sugar

Ortolan88

And many U.S. candy producers are moving out of the country. Also it appears that the tariffs protect all sugars - cane sugar, maple sugar and beet sugar. Time magazine in Feb 2002 said tariff went as high as 242% in some cases and that U.S. sugar prices are keep at three times the world market rate. -rmhermen

[edit] Excuse me?

Alright, guys, decent article but what is with this line:

"Some people do not think that sugar beets exist"

Does that need to be there - is there really a debate over the existence of sugar beets? -- User:Episcopo 02:15, 7 Sep 2004 Episcopo

The offending line was deleted on the 9 Sep 2004 -- Solipsist 21:28, 30 Mar 2005 (UTC)

[edit] Too much chemistry

Shimmin, you've rewritten it a lot and it is now probably too specialised. We are not here to write a text bok on the chemistry of sugar beet processing. You have also removed the sense of Milk of lime and Carbon Dioxide being added simultaneously to the raw juice which is the case in most UK and USA processing. GraemeLeggett 08:04, 12 Apr 2005 (UTC)

My handbook indicates a residence time of 5-15 minutes in two liming stages before the first carbonation. As for the chemistry, I don't feel that it is any more specialized than other technical info that was here before I got here (residence time in the diffuser, names and geometries of specific versions of the diffusion stage ...), and I do feel the mention of what compounds the carbonatation process knocks out adds value to the interested, and is brief enough that the disinterested can gloss onward. But as always, if you disagree, be bold. Shimmin 12:00, Apr 12, 2005 (UTC)
Sounds like either the DDS or RT liming schemes, see Carbonatation where the chemistry would be better served. GraemeLeggett 12:30, 12 Apr 2005 (UTC)

[edit] "Europe and Ukraine"???

Ukraine is a country in Europe, the sentence makes no sense. Like saying "USA and California". /Grillo 10:00, 9 April 2006 (UTC)

Agree, that does not make sense at all. I guess Europe meant to be EU. Solarapex 17:24, 13 May 2007 (UTC)

[edit] Can you cook and eat them?

Can you cook and eat sugar beets? Or do they not taste good? Are they sweeter then regular beets? 71.199.123.24 06:41, 3 May 2006 (UTC)

[edit] Subsidies in the EU

There should be something about the subsidies of sugar beet production in the EU. They were either severely curtailed, or ended, such that a decision was taken in Ireland to end the entire sugar beet production in the country in 2006.

So sad, Siucra (Irish sugar brand omnipresent in Ireland, and "sugar" in the Irish language) will just be imported now. More pollution from shipping goods from abroad. Woohoo!

zoney ♣ talk 22:24, 6 July 2006 (UTC)

Well it's a trade-off - less pollution form the more energy intensive processing of sugar beet cf sugar cane; more money to third world producers, less agricultural subsidies paid out by EU taxpayers etc... Lisiate 01:23, 1 September 2006 (UTC)
Sugar beet processing is extremely fuel efficient; energy costs dictate this. Beet is important as a root crop in a arable rotation cycle and the byproducts can be used as animal feed. Lime waste is used to improve soils. Farm subsidies are a complex issue but have their use. GraemeLeggett 08:51, 1 September 2006 (UTC)
A similar thing happened in Canada. Many beet piling stations are now converted to lots to build manufactured homes, and most of the plants dismantaled for scrapmetal.-JWGreen 04:54, 20 February 2007 (UTC)

[edit] Sugarbeet, use as cattle feed

Use of sugarbeet pulp as cattle feed is mentioned. I would like to know if whole beet is used as cattle feed. What is the experience in using whole beet as cattle feed. Pros and cones of using whole beet as cattle feed. —The preceding unsigned comment was added by 61.8.137.178 (talk) 11:42, 19 February 2007 (UTC).

[edit] Sugarbeet, use as cattle feed

Use of sugarbeet pulp as cattle feed is mentioned. I would like to know if whole beet is used as cattle feed. What is the experience in using whole beet as cattle feed. Pros and cones of using whole beet as cattle feed. ¬¬¬¬ —The preceding unsigned comment was added by 61.8.137.178 (talk) 11:44, 19 February 2007 (UTC).

[edit] Sugar Beets Vs Suger Cane

Which is a better crop in terms of work needed to cultivate to suger output? I hope thats sensical.--Doom Child 01:33, 5 April 2007 (UTC)

[edit] What does it take to start a sugar beet factory?

I have a friend whos thinking about it, is it complicated? what are the things you need to know/do?

Go look at one, and then think again? Even an experimental plant takes up a large space. I'm sorry but this is not the place to find out, intersting subject though it is. GraemeLeggett 08:51, 16 July 2007 (UTC)