We got the beet! The unassuming sugar beet makes a big difference when it comes to battling winter weather.

When mixed with salt brine, beet juice helps the salt brine work at lower temperatures to treat icy or snow-packed surfaces.

Did you know?:

• The sugar beet is of course used to make table sugar as well as feed for cattle.
• The product we use is a byproduct of the process that makes the sugar for our tables. It is a result of a fermentation process that extracts the sugar crystals leaving the juice behind.
• Beet juice has been proven to lessen the corrosive properties of the salt that we use to apply to the roads.
• Beet juice costs are relative the same as calcium at $1.70-$1.85 per gallon.
• We use a mixture of 80% salt brine and 20% beet juice in most areas.
• Beet juice and salt brine will work at temps approaching zero but with the addition of calcium we can theoretically achieve a little lower temperature before freezing occurs.
• We store around 30,000 gallons of beet juice/brine mix to be used at a moment’s notice. 
• The beet juice actually needs salt brine to melt ice.
• At 30 degrees, one pound of salt will melt 46.3 pounds of ice, but at 0 degrees, the same pound of salt will melt just 3.7 pounds of ice.
• Regular water-based salt brine works well until 25 degrees.
• Beet juice is added to the mix between 25 degrees and 5 degrees.
• Calcium chloride added to the mix between 5 degrees and -10 degrees.