BON SECOUR — Natives of the northern part of the country making Baldwin County their home is quite common. Now, George Woerner of Woerner AgriBusiness in Bon Secour is seeking to translate that common sight to farming.

During a news conference Thursday afternoon, Woerner announced his introduction of beets into his company’s crop lineup.

“We can bring in another crop that doesn’t take away from current rotations,” he said.

Those current rotations include corn and watermelon, both of which are shipped across the nation. Woerner explained that they are both summer crops and beets would be planted in cool weather.

“I believe it’s a brand new day in agriculture,” he said.

That’s because planting beets would make use of Baldwin farmland during a previously dormant time of year. In addition,Woerner pointed out, the fruit of that labor would be used in more markets than grocery stores for consumer consumption.

“It produces sugars and ketones, which can be used in medicines, chemicals, fuels,” he said. “It’s going to be everything.”

That means Woerner expects that farmers would make $1,200 per acre when the beets are harvested.

As for the cost involved, that will be known after this first harvest, which was planted Sept. 12 and will be transported to Perdido Vineyards in North Baldwin to be refined and fermented.

“We can handle 60 tons a day,” Perdido Vineyards owner Jim said of the load.

Baldwin County Board of Education member Norman Moore, who used to work with Woerner AgriBusiness and was part of the research team fleshing out the possibility of bringing beets to Baldwin County, gave his thoughts on the crop.

“It’s supposed to be viable,” he said.

Moore explained that a lot of research preceeded bringing the beet to Bon Secour.

“George has been working on this for years,” he said.

“Everything sounds good,” Ed Hammeles of Compass Bank said, experessing cautious optimism. “The farmers have the ability to have three crops and to utilize the farm to its fullest potential. It’s a good idea. But it’s experimental right now.”

Woerner hopes that experiment will bring about positive results and encourage growth in the county’s agriculture industry by way of bringing a permanent plant to the area that would enable another option for refining the beets.

“I’m hoping in two years to see one built in Central Baldwin,” he said.