Michigan Sugar Company is
investing $125 million over the next five years to expand its beet-processing
plants at Bay City, Caro, Sebewaing and Croswell.
The company processes the
harvest from Ontario farmers in Essex, Kent and Lambton.
About $20 million will go
toward the Bay City-based, grower-owned co-operative's agricultural department.
Another $57 million will go
over the next five years into the Croswell facility in Michigan's Thumb Region.
The investment will complete operation upgrades at the plant.
"This will allow us to
produce more beets there and use all of our plants at full capacity,"
Michigan Sugar community and government relations director Ray Van Driessche
said.
Ontario and Michigan growers
enjoyed a record harvest last year, but breaking yield records has become
routine.
Michigan Sugar announced
earlier in December that its total 2015 production was roughly five million
tons, representing a record-setting yield of 31.6 tons an acre. Ontario’s
harvest is estimated at about 340,000 tons and the sugar content has also been
high.
The co-op markets sugar
under the Pioneer Sugar and Big Chief sugar brands.
