Beet farmers remain skeptical about newest free-trade treaty

Editor’s note: This column completes a two-part assessment of the sugar beet industry in Northern Colorado. Lock’s previous Agribusiness column (NCBR, Aug. 19) addressed the closing of sugar beet processing plants in Weld County.

YUMA – When Alan Welp looks over his 600 acres of sugar beets near Yuma he wonders how long they will be there. Welp is concerned the Central American Free Trade Agreement will prevent him from earning a solid price for his beets in the future as sugar from Central America enters the North American market.

He suspects the impact of CAFTA will not be…