MOORHEAD — Low sugar prices are cutting into payments to farmers at American Crystal Sugar Co.

The Moorhead-based cooperative is telling its growers to expect a “massive reduction” in payments for this year’s beet crop.

In a company blog, American Crystal CEO David Berg says growers will be paid just $38 per ton. Last year, Crystal’s farmers were paid more than $68 per ton.

Berg said most of Crystal’s growers will lose money, and in many cases, “they will lose a lot of money.”

The company said the reduced payments are mainly due to lower sugar prices, but also reflect much lower sugar content in this year’s crop.