January 26, 2021

Dr. Tom Peters was awarded the 2020 Sugarbeet Distinguished Service Award by the Sugarbeet Research and Education Board of Minnesota and North Dakota at their annual reporting session on January 12, 2021. The award is presented for excellence in research for the improvement of sugarbeet production, effective educational programs for sugarbeet growers and industry, and service to the local, regional, or national sugarbeet industry.

Peters is the Extension sugarbeet agronomist and weed control specialist at North Dakota State University and the University of Minnesota, a role he has held since 2014. In this role, he supports sugarbeet growers in Minnesota, North Dakota, and eastern Montana. He earned his Ph.D. in agronomy and weed science from North Dakota State University advised by Dr. Alan Dexter, retired long-time Extension sugarbeet agronomist.

According to his nomination, Peters “has established himself as one of the ‘go-to’ weed scientists in the sugarbeet industry.” He works with growers and agriculturalists to develop and communicate effective weed control solutions and tailors his research to the needs of different geographies. The partnerships he has created with other weed scientists have led to meaningful research on problematic weeds such as Palmer amaranth. In addition, “his current research into the use of acifluorfen in sugarbeets may lead to a significant new tool for weed control in sugarbeets throughout the entire industry.”

Author: Kamie Beeson, kamie.a.beeson@ndsu.edu
Editor: Karen Hertsgaard, karen.hertsgaard@ndsu.edu