The sugar beet, a member of the goosefoot family, is the source of nearly 40 percent of the world’s sugar supply.
Following harvest, the root of the sugar beet is cut and crushed to remove the juice. The juice is then processed,
refined, and bleached to produce sugar, while the crushed pulp is used as a livestock feed. Sugarcane is grown in
tropical areas, and sugar beets are generally grown in temperate areas. Leading sugar beet producing countries
include Germany, France, Poland, the northwestern United States, and the former Soviet Union.
