FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                                             CONTACT:    Phillip Hayes

Monday, August 2, 2010                                                                                202-271-5734 (cell)

From the International Sweetener Symposium:

House Ag Committee Chairman Says Changes Unlikely to U.S. Sugar Policy

VAIL, Colo.—House Agriculture Committee Chairman Collin Peterson (D-MN) voiced his continued support for sugar policy during one of the committee’s first 2012 Farm Bill hearings, and today he told participants of the 27^th International Sweetener Symposium that the positive comments made about the policy in subsequent hearings have reinforced his belief that the no-cost sugar program shouldn’t be weakened.

“I’ve said around the country, and I’ll say again today, ‘We have a no-cost [sugar] program that’s working exactly the way it should and is being administered correctly,’” Peterson explained.

Since April 30, Peterson’s committee has held nine Farm Bill hearings in rural communities from coast to coast.  Five sugar farmers testified during the field hearing tour, and all of them encouraged a continuation of the policy.  

Peterson told sugar producers today that one of the best things about the current policy is that it doesn’t cost taxpayers a dime—a huge selling point when Congress is dealing with big budget deficits.

The chairman said he is unaware of anyone, besides large food manufacturers looking to lower farmers’ prices and boost corporate profits, trying to dismantle the policy that’s currently in place.

The USDA has estimated that sugar policy will continue operating at no cost through 2020.

Peterson told the group that he hopes to have a new Farm Bill on President Obama’s desk by the end of 2011, well before the original goal of August 2012.

“The longer we wait, the worse the budget situation will be,” he said, also noting that the aggressive timetable will give the administration ample time to implement the new bill.

During field hearings, farmers said sugar policy underpins 146,000 U.S. sugar jobs and $10 billion in economic activity.

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For more information about the International Sweetener Symposium, visit www.sugaralliance.org

Symposium audio files can be downloaded at www.ASAradio.org