What’s red, blue, and read all over? Bipartisan praise of U.S. sugar policy.
America’s sugar producers received accolades from both sides of the aisle in 2010—a sign that current no-cost sugar policy is working. And, as Congress looks to address the country’s budget deficit, sugar farmers are pleased that they’re winning accolades for fiscal responsibility.
Here is what some key legislators in the 2012 Farm Bill debate told sugar producers during a meeting last summer:
“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.’”
“I think, without question, that because [sugar policy] is no cost it helps in the battle to come.”
“In these difficult budget times, that’s a huge advantage,” he said of sugar producers’ desire to see a continuation of the no-cost sugar program in the 2012 Farm Bill.
“The sugar program is working. We will face serious budget limitations, [but] sugar policy’s emphasis on operating at no cost should help ward off harmful change.”
Don’t just take the politicians’ word for it. Other Washington leaders gave American sugar a glowing endorsement last year, too. The International Sugar Trade Coalition (ISTC), a nonprofit coalition comprised of sugar industries from nearly 20 developing nations, voiced its support. So did the National Farmers Union:
“If there were no U.S. sugar policy… we would see a flood of imports that would depress the price below the cost of producing sugar… developing countries that produce and export sugar could not survive at that price; they would be forced out of business.”
“We have a sugar policy in this country that makes sure we have an abundant, affordable supply of an essential ingredient. Why change success?”
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 July poll by Harris Interactive.
Of course, praise for sugar policy hasn’t stopped. It’s only February and there have already been plenty of positive developments in 2011.
The American Farm Bureau Federation passed a resolution in support of the inventory management provisions of the current sugar policy during its annual convention a few weeks ago.
Senator Debbie Stabenow (D-MI), a long-time sugar policy supporter and member of the Senate Sweetener Caucus was just elected the new Chair of the Senate Agriculture Committee.
And former House Agriculture Committee Chairman Larry Combest (R-TX) had this to say about attacks on sugar: “Eliminate U.S. sugar policy while the rest of the world lavishes protections and subsidies on its producers, and the economic recovery taking place right now will be hurt—and that hurt will be felt from coast to coast.”
Sugar producers couldn’t have said it any better themselves.
