IP Makes the World a Sweeter Place

For many of us, our favorite guilty pleasure are the sweet snacks we find around the world — from delicate chocolates to refreshing drinks — but not all realize the source of the sweetness in our favorite indulgences. Today, 20 percent of the sugar produced around the globe comes from a rustic crop that is often mistaken for common root vegetables: the sugarbeet!

Sugarbeets have been satisfying the world’s sweet tooth with a steady supply of high quality sugar for more than 200 years now. Farmers in North America and Europe have embraced the crop for its ability to grow in areas where more traditional crops — like sugarcane — would never survive. It has transformed countries like Germany, France and Russia into global sugar suppliers and agriculture innovators are continually developing new varieties that can help this crop grow even further.

Learn more in the IP in Ag Innovation Series: Sugarbeet infographic.