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YEARBOOK OF THE ASSOCIATION OF PACIFIC COAST GEOGRAPHERS Volume 101948 IN DEFENSE OF THE SUGAR BEET INDUSTRY OF THE WESTERN UNITED STATES* Harold A. Hoffmeister University of Colorado, Boulder The beet-sugar industry of the United States is almost entirely a development of the twentieth century. From its inception as a major agricultural industry, it has been the center of bitter controversy arising from three essential characteristics of its organization . First, its dependence upon government protection, in the form of tariffs and subsidies, against foreign competition. Second, its industrial organization, which necessitates large unit investment and industrial plant. Third, its reliance on imported foreign workers to carry on the arduous "stoop labor" that others have been reluctant to perform. The advocates of free trade have damned the industry as epitomizing all the evils of nationalism. They claim that the country, at large has been penalized for the protection and enrichment of a relatively small and regionalized industry. Others have damned it for its unethical treatment of imported labor, which has led to social segregation and class intolerance. These attacks have centered almost exclusively on the western 'sugarbeet states. Examination of the industry and its problems has convinced me that many of the criticisms lack foundation and that many of the early objectionable features of the industry have been corrected. Some aspects of the industry are still open to criticism and need correction. However, these adverse features are not restricted solely to the beet-sugar industry, but are shared in varicus degrees by almost every agricultural industry in this country. The entire question is too complex to be properly covered in a short paper. The following discussion will be limited to an analysis of some of the major criticisms directed against the industry. World Production of Sugar From the middle of the nineteenth century to the beginning of the first world war sugar production increased at an average rate of 3.5 percent per year. Following the peak year of 1913-1914, when 20,997,000 short tons were refined, world production slumped. Since then it has fluctuated considerably, and in 1946-1947 totaled 20,817,000 tons. Beet sugar was a late starter in the field, but by the end of the last century, under strong tariff protection, it made up 64 percent of the world's total. The first world war seriously disrupted the beet-sugar industry all over the world, and in 1919-1920 it contributed only 21 percent of the total sugar supply. Since then, beet-sugar production, under reduced protection, has made a slow recovery and contributed 44 percent of the total in 1946-1947. Production and Consumption in the United States The United States, with a per capita consumption of 97 pounds per year, is the world's greatest consumer of sugar. In 1939, the last normal year, we consumed 6,945,000 tons, or about 22 percent of the total. It is estimated that in 1948 we shall use * Présidant!«] address of the Association of Pacific Coast Geographers, Berkeley, California, June 24, 1»48. 4 Yearbook of the AssociationVol. IO 7,000,000 short tons, of which 26 percent has been allocated to continental beet sugar and seven percent to the continental cane-sugar producers. Environmental Requirements of Sugar Beets An oft-repeated but untrue criticism is that we are capable of producing only a small percentage of the sugar required by the nation. Sugar beets can be grown successfully throughout a large portion of the United States, under a considerable range of climatic and edaphic conditions. In the final analysis, beet sugar is simply a combination of carbon dioxide, water, and sunshine. Beets require much moisture during their growing season, and although they can withstand drought as well as or better than most crops, a deficiency of soil moisture is reflected in reduced yields. Beets are grown under normal rainfall east of the 20-inch isohyet, but in the arid and semi-arid western states successful growth demands supplemental irrigation. Under irrigation, however, the beets can be supplied with the optimum quantity of water for their best development. Beets are favored by a long and moderately cool growing season. There is a...

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