- America's sugar producers support 146,000 U.S. jobs.
- Sugar farmers don't receive government subsidy checks.
- Sugar producers generate nearly $10 billion a year for the U.S. economy.
- Sugar policy is predicted to cost taxpayers $0 in 2010.
- Sugar is produced in 18 states.
- Sugar is used in 70% of manufactured food.
- Sugar producers' fuel costs have skyrocketed by 251% since 1985.
- Two-thirds of Americans believe sugar in the U.S. is inexpensive.
- Food manufacturers pocket lower sugar prices to boost profits instead of sharing the savings with shoppers.
- Sugar policy didn't cost taxpayers a dime in '02, '03, '04, '05, '06, '07, '08 and '09.
- 38 of America's foreign sugar suppliers are developing countries and most support U.S. sugar policy.
- The average American consumes 44 pounds of sugar a year.
- Seven out of ten of Americans prefer buying homegrown sugar, even if foreign sugar is cheaper.
- 100% of sugarbeet companies are owned by farmers.
- Dependence on foreign sugar in WWII forced the government to ration sugar.
- Food companies in Europe pay, on average, 12% more for sugar.
- One-sided trade deals force the U.S. to import sugar from 41 countries regardless of our needs.
- The world sugar market is a thinly traded, heavily subsidized dump market and is the world's most volatile commodity market.
- America is the world's second largest sugar importer.
- NAFTA made Mexico the only sugar producer-domestic or foreign-with unlimited access to the U.S. market.
- 71% of America's sugar production comes from beets, the rest from cane.
- Sugar producers' labor costs are up 110% since 1985; farm equipment costs 75% more.
- Sugar prices in Mexico have historically been higher than U.S. prices.
|