The recent closure of the Spreckels Sugar Plant in Imperial Valley is sending ripples through the region’s agricultural economy. Andrew Leimgruber of Leimgruber Farms, a diversified grower in the area, shared concerns with AgNet West about the broader impact on farming operations.
“It’s 700 direct jobs at the factory,” Leimgruber explained, “and then you’re talking about a huge support industry—harvest, planting, chemical and fertilizer companies. We had 28,000 acres of sugar beets this year.”
The loss of a key processing facility affects not just growers but also the fine balance of supply and demand across multiple crops. Leimgruber emphasized that overproduction in other crops could now lower prices, compounding challenges.
Diverse Yet Vulnerable
Imperial County is known for its crop diversity, with over 100 commodities produced. Still, sugar beets ranked among the top ten in the county, and their absence leaves a major gap. Leimgruber noted the possibility of reviving the plant or returning to cotton production, a crop not widely grown in the region for two decades.
“Sugar beets are a robust crop,” he said. “They grow on more marginal lands—higher salinity, poor-draining fields. That’s what made them so valuable here.”
Green Energy and Land Loss
A growing concern for many in the area is the increasing pressure from green energy projects that could take prime farmland out of production.
“Whenever we pave over, we develop our arable ag lands, they typically never come back,” Leimgruber warned. “We’re losing that much more ability to feed and grow food and fiber for our nation.”
As Imperial Valley farmers adapt to another significant shift, Leimgruber remains optimistic about their resilience—but realistic about the stakes.
Read much more, and listen to the full interview Nick had with Andrew Leimgruber.