In the year 1900, Dodge County was the largest producer of what crop in Nebraska?
Sugar beets
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Dodge County grew 4,251 acres of sugar beets for a total of 31,168 tons, which was 50 percent of the Nebraska sugar beet crop in 1900. Why? At that time Dodge County was home to the Standard Sugar Beet Company’s factory near the former town of Leavitt. The factory, built in 1899, was located 2.5 miles north of Highway 30 or 3 miles northwest on the Cutoff Road.
The company was owned by the 101 Standard Livestock Association of Moorcroft, Wyoming. The factory supplied feed for cattle that were brought to Ames to be fattened with the by-products. The factory was closed down in 1906 and was moved and erected at Scottsbluff in 1910 by another company. The Western Sugar Cooperative at Scottsbluff is still in operation today.
Local Ag Fact of the Week is also featured in the Fremont Tribune Weekend Ag Page
