Another Blow to Montana’s Ag Industry in Sidney

Another big blow was announced that will have a negative impact on Montana's agricultural industry.

Sidney Sugar has announced it will be closing its doors as soon as the current processing campaign is complete. For Sidney, Montana, that means the loss of over 100 full-time jobs. For Montana farmers who are somewhat limited in what they can grow, this means it's time to be creative again in order to remain profitable.

When you think of how cheaply other countries and southern states can produce sugar from sugar cane, it was probably inevitable that this was going to happen.

Sidney Sugar said they were about 7,000 acres short of production needed to make it profitable. The fact that they will be able to grow other things because they do have water will help but their investment into the equipment needed will be lost.

The hit to the town of Sidney will also be hard to replace with that $100 million impact now gone. Growers now in Yellowstone County must be getting nervous now with ownership of the plant here, and what could be in the future for our sugar beet growers. Folks, agriculture is changing and it just keeps getting tougher and tougher each year. Farmers and ranchers are used to challenges, we face different ones each year, drought, freezes, and grasshoppers.

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But it seems the most difficult ones are the ones that are coming from our own country. The biggest yet to come with every rule and regulation dealing with climate change is about to put agriculture completely out of business. When the shelves are empty it will be too late.

See ya tomorrow at 5 a.m.