New Survey: Americans Get Great Deal on Sugar, Support Sugar Farmers

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Sugar farmers from across the country are headed to Capitol Hill today to defend America’s no-cost sugar policy, armed with brand-new data finding consumers believe American-made sugar to be affordable. Although consumers in other developed countries pay about the same as U.S. shoppers for sugar, critics of U.S. sugar policy continue to perpetuate the myth that supporting American farmers makes sugar too expensive, but their flawed messaging does not resonate with consumers.

Congressman Vela: Diversity of Ag Committee Benefits Farmers Everywhere

Press Releases, The Sugar Beat

The chairman of the House subcommittee with jurisdiction over farm commodity programs said yesterday that the unique perspectives and bipartisanship of his panel help it function well for U.S. farmers and ranchers. “The demographic and geographic diversity inside the House Agriculture Committee make it special,” Congressman Filemon Vela (D-TX) said at yesterday’s International Sweetener Symposium.

U.S. Sugar Producers Recognize Retiring Roberts, Conaway

Press Releases, The Sugar Beat

America’s farmers and ranchers were blessed during the last Farm Bill debate to be represented by Congressional leaders who worked well together and were determined to pass a farm bill on time and get it signed into law. Sens. Pat Roberts (R-KS) and Debbie Stabenow (D-MI) and Reps. Collin Peterson (D-MN) and Mike Conaway (R-TX) were emblematic of how much Congress can achieve when people come together for a common cause.

European Union Serves as Warning to US Sugar Policy Critics

Press Releases, The Sugar Beat

This week marks 13 years since the EU first began tearing down its sugar program after the World Trade Organization found it to be in violation of its international trade commitments. Since that time, Europe’s sugar industry has faced an uncertain future – 83 sugar mills closed and 120,000 jobs were lost – and subsidies remain prevalent as prices plummet below the cost of production.

European and U.S. Sugar Industries Oppose New T-TIP Import Commitments

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From the International Sweetener Symposium: Coeur d’Alene, Idaho—Leaders from the U.S. and European sugar industries today agreed that no new market access commitments for sugar should be included in the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (T-TIP) trade deal between the United States and the European Union (EU). “America’s sugar market is already oversupplied with unneeded…

Sen. Crapo: U.S. and Mexican Governments Must Fix Sugar Market Mess

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From the International Sweetener Symposium:

Coeur d’Alene, Idaho—The U.S. Department of Commerce found Mexico’s sugar industry guilty of dumping subsidized sugar onto the U.S. market and harming American producers. But the 2014 settlement forged between the two governments to avoid retaliatory tariffs isn’t working, a United States Senator said today at the International Sweetener Symposium.

Sugar Industry Thanks Agriculture Secretary Vilsack and Staff for Their Service

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From the International Sweetener Symposium:

Coeur d’Alene, Idaho—Calling Tom Vilsack “one of the finest secretaries that agriculture has ever had,” American Sugar Alliance chairman Luther Markwart paid special tribute yesterday to the current leadership at the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA).

“Secretary Vilsack has been very good to our industry and has always been thoughtful,” he explained at the International Sweetener Symposium. “Over the past eight years, his team has implemented two farm bills, worked to build good trade deals for agriculture, and maintained an open-door policy for producers through it all.”

Messages from Congressional Leaders Set Stage for Sweetener Symposium

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From the International Sweetener Symposium:

Coeur d’Alene, Idaho — As the 33rd International Sweetener Symposium kicked off this morning, attendees received a warm welcome from Agriculture Committee leaders.

“We don’t have an economy or a middle class, for that matter, if we don’t make things or grow things. And that’s what each of you do,” Sen. Debbie Stabenow (MI), the top Democrat on the Senate Agriculture Committee, said in a video message. “America’s great sugar industry is an essential part of the rural economy and our nation’s agricultural economy.”

New Study Spotlights India’s Sugar Subsidy Schemes

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Govt. Handouts Total $1.7 Billion a Year and Distort Global Prices From the International Sweetener Symposium: Coeur d’Alene, Idaho — A new report released today at the International Sweetener Symposium details the estimated $1.7 billion in annual subsidies propping up India’s inefficient sugar industry. The study’s author, Antoine Meriot of Sugar Expertise, LLC, spent months…

University of Maryland Economist Details Business Returns Under Current Sugar Policy

Press Releases, The Sugar Beat

For Immediate Release: April 18, 2016
Contact: Phillip Hayes, 202-507-8303

WASHINGTON – Since the current U.S. sugar policy took hold in 2008, candy companies and producers of other sugar containing products (SCP) have added jobs, increased production, and boosted profitability, according to a new study by the dean of the University of Maryland’s business school.

Dr. Alex Triantis, who prepared the report for the American Sugar Alliance (ASA), wrote: “During 2009-2014 – a period that included a U.S. economic recession and unusually high world and U.S. sugar prices – SCP industry jobs rose by 3 percent while non-sweetened-food industry jobs were flat.”

U.S. Sugar Producers Comment on Nairobi WTO Ministerial Meeting

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE – December 22, 2015 CONTACT: Phillip Hayes, 202-271-5734 (cell) WASHINGTON—The American Sugar Alliance issued the following statement about the results of the 10th World Trade Organization (WTO) Ministerial Conference in Nairobi, Kenya: “We commend our Nairobi negotiating team for their hard work in securing an agreement that will bring a definitive end to…

U.S. Sugar Producers Comment on Final TPP Language

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: November 10, 2015 CONTACT: Phillip Hayes, 202-271-5734 (cell) WASHINGTON — After reviewing the official text of the Trans-Pacific Partnership trade deal the American Sugar Alliance issued the following statement: “We have carefully examined the final language and details of the Trans-Pacific Partnership and are pleased to confirm that America’s trade negotiators delivered…

Sugar Producers Call for End of Global Subsidies at Congressional Hearing

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
October 21, 2015		 CONTACT: Phillip Hayes
(202) 271-5734

WASHINGTON—During a House Agriculture Committee hearing about foreign agricultural subsidies today, U.S. sugar producers publicly pledged to scrap U.S. sugar policy if other countries would stop manipulating the global sugar market with trade-distorting policies.

“Absent government intervention, the world sugar price would rise to reflect the cost of producing sugar, and America’s efficient producers could compete well on a level playing field,” said Jack Roney, director of economics and policy analysis for the American Sugar Alliance. “We have endorsed a congressional resolution to eliminate U.S. sugar policy when foreign countries eliminate theirs.”

U.S. Government Rules Against Mexican Sugar Industry in Trade Case

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: October 20, 2015
CONTACT: Phillip Hayes, 202-507-8303

WASHINGTON — The U.S. International Trade Commission (ITC) agreed today by a 6 to 0 vote that Mexico’s sugar industry harmed American producers by dumping subsidized sugar onto the U.S. market.

The verdict means that an accord signed by the U.S. and Mexican governments to establish a needs-based trading structure and stop Mexico’s abuses will remain in effect for at least five years.

U.S. Sugar Producers Comment on TPP Deal

Press Releases, The Sugar Beat

WASHINGTON—The American Sugar Alliance issued the following statement about today’s announcement that an agreement was reached on the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) trade deal: [pullquote] “The American Sugar Alliance still needs to review the final language and verify details in the Trans-Pacific Partnership, but we are cautiously optimistic about what we’ve learned from U.S. trade negotiators. …

Commerce Dept. Rules that Mexican Sugar Subsidies Distorted Trade

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
September 17, 2015		 CONTACT: Phillip Hayes
202-271-5734 (cell)

WASHINGTON—The U.S. Department of Commerce (DOC) today ruled that Mexico’s sugar industry unfairly dumped subsidized sugar onto the U.S. market. Mexico’s sugar industry was found to be dumping at margins of 40.48 percent to 42.14 percent and subsidized from 5.78 percent to 43.93 percent. Mexico’s government-owned sugar mills were subsidized at 43.93 percent.

Sugar Producers Comment on Latest DOC Decision

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WASHINGTON—The U.S. Department of Commerce (DOC) yesterday granted standing to Imperial Sugar Co. and AmCane Sugar LLC in the antidumping and countervailing duty (AD/CVD) cases filed last year against Mexico’s sugar industry. The AD/CVD cases had been suspended following an agreement reached between the U.S. and Mexican governments, but will recommence as a result of the latest DOC decision.

ITC: Suspension Agreements Remove the Injury Caused by Unfairly Traded Mexican Sugar

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE​: March 19, 2015​
CONTACT: Phillip Hayes, 202-507-8303

WASHINGTON—The U.S. International Trade Commission (ITC) today upheld the agreements between the U.S. and Mexican governments to stop subsidized Mexican sugar from being dumped onto the U.S. market. The ITC was asked to determine whether the governments’ settlement adequately removed the injury caused by unfairly traded Mexican sugar.

Sugar Producers Back Zero-for-Zero Policy Reintroduction

Press Releases, The Sugar Beat

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: March 3, 2015
CONTACT: Phillip Hayes, 202-507-8303

WASHINGTON-Congressman Ted Yoho (R-FL) reintroduced his Zero-for-Zero sugar policy, on Friday, which would instruct the administration to target the foreign sugar subsidies that are distorting world prices and keeping a free market from forming. Under the plan, U.S. sugar policy would also be rolled back in exchange for the elimination of foreign programs.

Members of the American Sugar Alliance (ASA) praised Yoho and the eight original co-sponsors of H.Con.Res. 20, and said sugar farmers from across the country are in town this week to educate lawmakers about the current U.S. policy and to encourage support for the resolution.

USDA: Sugar Policy to Cost $0 for Next Decade

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: February 9, 2015
CONTACT: Phillip Hayes, 202-507-8303

WASHINGTON—U.S. sugar policy is expected to cost taxpayers $0 from FY2015 to FY2025, according to projections released last week by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA).

Sugar policy is the least expensive major commodity policy in the Farm Bill because farmers repay loans with interest instead of receiving subsidy checks. It ran at no cost to taxpayers from 2003 to 2012 and again in 2014.

There was a net cost of $259 million in 2013 when the USDA had to take emergency action to prevent the market from collapsing after Mexico dumped a record amount of subsidized sugar onto the U.S. market.

U.S., Mexican Governments Settle Sugar Subsidy and Dumping Cases

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WASHINGTON (October 28, 2014)—U.S. and Mexican government officials yesterday initialed an accord to suspend the ongoing antidumping and countervailing duty investigations of sugar from Mexico. Phillip Hayes, a spokesman for the American Sugar Alliance, released the following statement about the settlement. “U.S. government officials should be commended for their hard work and diligence in reaching…

Dept. of Commerce: Mexican Sugar Subsidies Distort Trade

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The U.S. Department of Commerce (DOC) today said Mexican sugar subsidies are giving Mexico’s sugar mills an unfair trade advantage. As a result of this preliminary ruling, a duty deposit will be collected on sugar imports from Mexico until the U.S. government can complete its investigation and make a final determination in the case. A 17.01 percent duty deposit will be imposed on sugar imported from mills operated by the Mexican government. Sugar produced by the Mexican company GAM will see a 2.99 percent duty deposit and all other Mexican sugar will be subject to a 14.87 percent duty deposit.

World Sugar Market is Far From Free or Fair

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The idea that there is global free trade in sugar is a “mirage,” according to Patrick Chatenay, a sugar and ethanol expert from the UK-based company ProSunergy, because “subsidies are rampant and unequal.” Further, he said, “Currency fluctuations make a mockery of tariff trade concessions and can damage competitive sugar producers.”