WASHINGTON—Senator Blanche Lincoln (D-AR) was today named the new chair of the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry. The American Sugar Alliance released the following statement applauding her selection.

WASHINGTON—In a Wall Street Journal advertisement today, America’s sugar producers begged large food manufacturers to call the American Sugar Alliance (ASA) to be put in touch with numerous sugar sellers looking to unload “extra inventory.”

PARK CITY, Utah—As consumers look for natural food choices, sugar sales have climbed at the expense of high fructose corn syrup (HFCS), Ron Sterk, associate editor of Milling & Baking News and Food Business News, today told attendees of the 26th International Sweetener Symposium.

PARK CITY, Utah—Even though implementation of the 2008 Farm Bill, shrinking profit margins in agriculture, and belt-tightening in Washington dominated discussion at the 26th International Sweetener Symposium, farmers are still keeping a watchful eye on international matters, according to today’s presentations by a panel of trade experts.

PARK CITY, Utah—U.S. trade negotiators will have a difficult time rebalancing World Trade Organization talks to benefit America’s farmers, Congressman Frank Lucas, the ranking member of the House Agriculture Committee said today at the 26th International Sweetener Symposium.

PARK CITY, Utah—Trade with Mexico remains one of the biggest challenges facing U.S. sugar farmers and must be addressed, Sen. Mike Crapo (R-ID) said today via video conference at the 26th International Sweetener Symposium.

PARK CITY, Utah—Anticipating an announcement about sugar supplies in the U.S., sugar producers and industrial sugar users today listened intently to U.S. Department of Agriculture Under Secretary Jim Miller at the 26th International Sweetener Symposium.

PARK CITY, Utah—Anyone who’s been to the grocery store lately can tell you they’re paying more at the checkout line—seven percent more according to Bureau of Labor Statistics data from 2006 to 2008.

PARK CITY, Utah—2009 has proven to be a difficult year for U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) analysts charged with forecasting the U.S. sugar market.

PARK CITY, Utah—“After two years of large statistical surpluses, the world sugar [market] has entered a distinct deficit phase,” International Sugar Organization executive director Peter Baron today told attendees of the 26th International Sweetener Symposium.

PARK CITY, Utah—Calling the U.S. sugar industry a “multi-billion dollar economic engine,” Senator Kent Conrad (D-ND) today updated participants of the 26th International Sweetener Symposium on numerous budget and trade issues, including loopholes in NAFTA and attempts to drain agricultural funding.

PARK CITY, Utah—The large candy company that recently relocated some operations from Pennsylvania and Canada to Mexico did so to save on overhead expenses.  Ingredient costs, such as sugar, changed very little, according to a new study by former USDA official Peter Buzzanell.

PARK CITY, Utah—Sugar market disparities have created profits for food manufacturers, higher prices for grocery shoppers, and worries for many sugar farmers since this time last year. That’s according the annual Sugar Price Survey released by the American Sugar Alliance today at the 26th International Sweetener Symposium.

WASHINGTON—Members of the American Sugar Alliance (ASA) last week provided the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) an update on the domestic sugar market, which remains sufficiently supplied.

WASHINGTON—As food manufacturers lobby the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to flood the American sugar market with imports and sink prices, a new study unveiled today shows U.S. companies are already paying less for sugar than their counterparts in other developed countries.

WASHINGTON—The American Sugar Alliance today released the following statement in response to a proposed excise tax on sweetened beverages included in a list of revenue options released May 18 by the chairman and ranking member of the Senate Finance Committee.

WASHINGTON—No food manufacturers are having problems finding sugar, and their calls for increased foreign sugar imports would oversupply the U.S. sugar market, harm struggling U.S. farmers, and be costly to taxpayers, the American Sugar Alliance (ASA) said today in a letter to Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack.

WASHINGTON—Food manufacturers lobbying the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) for additional sugar imports had their hopes dashed today when the USDA released a monthly report on U.S. sugar supplies that showed growing surpluses.

WASHINGTON—If the U.S. Department of Agriculture decides this week to allow additional foreign sugar imports into the market, it will “jeopardize the ability of U.S. cane sugar refiners and beet processors to meet market needs by weakening an industry already under pressure from rising costs and stagnant prices,” according to a report released today by the American Cane Sugar Refiners’ Association.

WASHINGTON—When asked to choose between U.S. sugar and imports, seven in 10 American adults (71 percent) said they’d rather buy domestic, even if the foreign sugar were slightly cheaper, according to a new survey commissioned by the American Sugar Alliance and conducted by Harris Interactive®.

WASHINGTON—Be careful what you wish for.  That was the warning to food manufacturers in a new study released today by the American Sugar Alliance about the importance of domestic sugar producers.

WASHINGTON—One day before Valentine’s Day, the American Sugar Alliance released its 2009 Industry Outlook, which says the upcoming year will be a lot like a box of assorted chocolates—full of unknowns.

WASHINGTON—The U.S. Senate yesterday voted to approve former Iowa Governor Tom Vilsack as Secretary of the U.S. Department of Agriculture. The American Sugar Alliance released the following statement applauding Secretary Vilsack’s confirmation.