From Planting to Harvest: Sugarbeets Complete Their Journey on the National Mall
Luther Markwart, Executive Vice President and CEO of the American Sugarbeet Growers Association, harvests sugarbeets at the USDA People's Garden on the National Mall, bringing a season-long agricultural education initiative full circle from planting to harvest.
October 30, 2026
Seven months after KWS Seeds helped bring sugarbeets back to the USDA People's Garden on the National Mall, the project has come full circle with the successful harvest of the crop.
The initiative began on March 24, when growers, industry representatives and agricultural advocates gathered to plant sugarbeets as part of a national ag-education effort designed to showcase America's crops to the millions of visitors who pass through the nation's capital each year. KWS supported the project by providing the sugarbeet seed used in the planting.
Now, after a full growing season in one of the country's most visible locations, the sugarbeets have been harvested, highlighting the complete lifecycle of crop production and the growers and industry partners who make it possible. The effort was led in large part by Luther Markwart, Executive Vice President and CEO of the American Sugarbeet Growers Association, whose longstanding commitment to agricultural education helped bring this unique project to life.
"Luther has been a driving force behind this effort, and we're proud to support a project that helps tell agriculture's story to a broad audience," said Mark Schmidt, VP of Sales for KWS Seeds. "This project was always about helping people better understand where their food comes from, and the role agriculture plays in everyday life. Seeing the sugarbeets grow from seed to harvest on the National Mall demonstrates the innovation, stewardship and dedication of the sugarbeet industry while creating meaningful opportunities for agricultural education."
Led by the American Sugar Alliance in partnership with the Farm Journal Foundation and other agricultural stakeholders, the garden featured sugarbeets alongside other crops grown across the United States. Educational signage throughout the season helped visitors learn about the importance of agriculture and the contributions of farming communities nationwide.
The successful harvest also underscores the value of collaboration across the agricultural sector. From the growers who planted and harvested the crop to the organizations supporting the effort, the initiative reflected a shared commitment to increasing awareness of American agriculture.
As the project concludes, KWS is proud to have contributed to an effort that showcased sugarbeet production in a highly visible setting and connected new audiences with the story of modern agriculture. From planting to harvest, the National Mall sugarbeet plot served as a powerful reminder of agriculture's role in feeding communities and strengthening understanding of the people and crops behind our food system.
About KWS
KWS is one of the world’s leading plant breeding companies. Nearly 5,000 employees* in more than 70 countries generated net sales of around €1.68 billion in the fiscal year 2023/2024. A company with a tradition of family ownership, KWS has operated independently for almost 170 years. It focuses on plant breeding and the production and sale of seed for sugarbeet, corn, cereals, vegetables, oilseed rape and sunflower. KWS uses leading-edge plant breeding methods to continuously improve yield for farmers and plants’ resistance to diseases, pests and abiotic stress. To that end, the company invested more than €300 million last fiscal year in research and development. *excl. seasonal workforce
