| Americans Support Domestic Sugar Industry, Strong Sugar Policy |
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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE CONTACT: Phillip Hayes Monday, August 2, 2010 202-271-5734 (cell) From the International Sweetener Symposium: Americans Support Domestic Sugar Industry, Strong Sugar Policy VAIL, Colo.—By more than a three-to-one margin, Americans favor the current sugar policy that keeps jobs at home and money in taxpayers’ pockets over policy alternatives that would shift production to foreign producers or create expensive subsidies, according to a new survey released today at the 27th International Sweetener Symposium. This news comes as a blow to opponents of sugar policy who are hoping to make massive shifts in the 2012 Farm Bill. In the survey—which was conducted by Harris InteractiveÒ online between July 12 and 14, 2010 among 2,381 U.S. adults 18 years of age or older and commissioned by the American Sugar Alliance (ASA)—respondents were asked to choose between four sugar policy options including an extension of the current no-cost program plus three additional options that have been presented in the past. Those include an income support system similar to other farm commodities, a one-time buyout modeled after tobacco policy, and the elimination of the U.S. sugar program in favor of imports. Just 19 percent of respondents selected one of the three alternative policies, leaving a continuation of the current no-cost sugar policy as the most popular choice. James Johnson, chairman of the ASA, was not surprised by the results. “We’re in a tough economy right now and the current policy is projected to operate at no cost to taxpayers over the next decade,” he said. “A change in policy would either require extensive taxpayer expense or a major shift to imports, which is equally as unpopular.” According to the Harris survey, 95 percent of Americans believe it is important to produce food domestically instead of relying on foreign suppliers. And, nearly seven in 10 survey respondents said they’d rather buy sugar grown in the United States than overseas even if U.S. sugar cost slightly more. That’s bad news for large food manufacturers, which are pointing to price and supply as the main reasons to scrap the current sugar policy. Only 1 percent of Americans said sugar wasn’t always available at the grocery store—a far cry from the “sugar shortage” picture food companies have tried to paint in their lobbying efforts. No wonder wholesale policy changes seem unlikely in the 2012 Farm Bill. House Agriculture Committee Chairman Collin Peterson (D-MN) said at a recent Farm Bill hearing that sugar policy is “working exactly as it is supposed to. I don’t foresee big changes in sugar.”
Methodology Harris Interactive conducted the online survey on behalf of the ASA between July 12 and 14, 2010 among 2,381 U.S. adults 18 years of age or older. No estimates of theoretical sampling error can be calculated; a full methodology is available. About Harris InteractiveHarris Interactive is one of the world’s leading custom market research firms, leveraging research, technology, and business acumen to transform relevant insight into actionable foresight. Known widely for the Harris Poll and for pioneering innovative research methodologies, Harris offers expertise in a wide range of industries including healthcare, technology, public affairs, energy, telecommunications, financial services, insurance, media, retail, restaurant, and consumer package goods. Serving clients in more than 215 countries and territories through our North American, European, and Asian offices and a network of independent market research firms, Harris specializes in delivering research solutions that help us—and our clients—stay ahead of what’s next. For more information, please visit www.harrisinteractive.com. -0- For more information about the International Sweetener Symposium or to obtain a copy of the Harris Interactive poll, visit www.sugaralliance.org Symposium audio files can be downloaded at www.ASAradio.org |
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