The localization of the United States sugar beet seed industry with emphasis on the Willamette Valley

Graduation date: 1964This investigation has analyzed and described the impact of\ud place on one of man's activities -- the production of sugar beet seed.\ud It is apparent that in this activity man's relationship to the earth is\ud especially close and dependent upon a number of factors. These\ud are localizing factors. Sugar beets grown for seed are sensitive to\ud a number of environmental elements, particularly to the physical\ud element of temperature. Relative compatibility with certain established\ud farming systems and the establishment of seed producing organizations\ud in places favorable for sugar beet seed production are\ud other localizing factors. Since the market for sugar beet seed is\ud tightly controlled by contracting, and since the seed producing agencies\ud have been established in certain favorable areas, and since\ud quantity needs are rather static, it is probable that sugar beet seed\ud production will continue to be localized in the present production\ud areas. Furthermore, no great increase in quantity of production\ud can be expected.\ud The long, relatively mild winters with temperatures favorable\ud to development of the reproductive phase of growth in the sugar beet\ud have made the Willamette Valley of Oregon one of the two chief sugar\ud beet seed producing areas of the United States. Because it is the\ud place offering the best opportunity for total or complete reproduction\ud in all varieties, the Willamette Valley is the foremost producer of\ud seed of bolting resistant varieties of sugar beets. For the same reason,\ud it is the most prominent place for producing seed breeders'\ud elite and stock seed for increase. It is probable that these aspects\ud of the United States sugar beet seed industry will remain localized to\ud the Willamette Valley.\ud The Willamette Valley has ample land on which sugar beets for\ud seed could be raised should demand for seed ever warrant expansion.\ud Sugar beets for seed compete favorably with other crops grown on the\ud Valley's best soils; the present situation indicates that the same kind\ud of competition could be carried to any suitable part of the Valley.\ud With the only slight expansion now taking place, localization within\ud the Willamette Valley will likely remain within a radius of 30 to 40\ud miles of Salem, and principally on a north -south axis on the more\ud suitable alluvial soils