197 The Western Sugar Cooperative The Great Western Sugar Company, founded in the early 20th Century by Charles Boettcher and partners, branded and sold sugar under the G&W label. After multiple changes in ownership, sugar beet growers in Colorado, Nebraska, Wyoming, and Montana united to form the Western Sugar Cooperative, believing that the future of the sugar beet industry would be well-served by grower ownership of the Company. Currently, Western Sugar Cooperative has over 850 grower/owners, plants up to 134,140 acres of sugar beets and produces over 1 billion pounds (or 10 million cwts) per year. They have families that are several generation sugar beet growers - families that were involved in growing sugar beets when the original company started 114 years ago. Our farmers are dependable and hard-working people; using specialized equipment on 100% irrigated land to bring the best sugar beet crop to market.