Co-op to shift production from Wyoming to Colorado, Nebraska

SCOTTSBLUFF, Neb. (AP) – Western Sugar Cooperative intends to expand the production capacity at plants in Nebraska and Colorado while reducing its Torrington, Wyoming, operation to sugar storage and shipping.

Co-op President and CEO Rodney Perry says in a news release that investments in new technology and proven equipment will help the co-op produce more sugar from the same amount of sugar beets, using less energy.

The co-op director of shareholder relations and governmental affairs, Kent Wimmer, said that staffs at the Fort Morgan, Colorado, and Scottsbluff, Nebraska, plants likely won’t grow. But he says the Torrington, Wyoming, plant will lose 70 positions, leaving only six, after the sugar production from beets planted this spring ends in late winter 2016.

The co-op’s 1,000 grower-owners are situated in Colorado, Montana, Nebraska and Wyoming.