Deputy Secretary Vaden Reiterates Trump Administration Support for American Agriculture

Traverse City, MI — U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Deputy Secretary Stephen Vaden spoke today at the 40th International Sweetener Symposium, outlining how President Donald Trump, USDA Secretary Brooke Rollins, and the entire department are working to secure a more prosperous future for American agriculture.

“Every action that we’re taking is with an America-first and farmers-first philosophy,” Deputy Secretary Vaden said.

“You saw a taste of that a little earlier, when the [USDA] announced that we were going to set the tariff rate quota for specialty sugar at the minimum required by our trade agreements, and not one gram more,” he continued.

The July announcement on specialty sugars was previously praised by the American Sugar Alliance and Secretary Vaden’s remarks today received a standing ovation from the assembled audience of sugarbeet and sugarcane farmers, trade and industry experts, and key sugar industry stakeholders.

Strong federal farm policies are critical to preserving American factory jobs, American family farms, and a strong supply of American-made sugar.

“One of the things that it’s important to keep in mind, is that for everything this administration does, no harm must come to America’s farm and rural communities,” Deputy Secretary Vaden said. “The best way that we can ensure Americans are healthy and well taken care of is to ensure that as much as possible of what they eat is grown here in the United States of America. We have the most efficient, the most sustainable, and the safest food supply the world has ever seen.”

“We should want that food supply to be what’s on the plate of every American. So, making America healthy begins with making what’s on America’s plate, American again,” he noted.

Deputy Secretary Vaden also praised the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, which included sugar provisions essential to the U.S. sugar industry.

“I don’t think it’s overstating it in saying that the passage of [the One Big Beautiful Bill Act] will help to ensure that we keep more farmers actually in the field doing what they love best, and that they don’t lose their family farms or be forced out of agriculture altogether, given the current rough patch that [the farm economy is] going through,” he said.

America’s sugarbeet and sugarcane producers appreciate Deputy Secretary Vaden’s commitment to putting America’s farmers first and USDA’s partnership in supporting strong farm policies that preserve domestic supply chains of this essential ingredient.

Neil Juhnke, the President and CEO of Michigan Sugar Company, introduced Deputy Secretary Vaden and welcomed him to Michigan.

“Deputy Secretary Vaden comes from a long line of farmers and understands firsthand why America-first trade policies must be pursued,” Juhnke said. “He’s dedicated his career to ensuring rural America can thrive, and he brings both expertise and heart to his job.”

America’s sugar producers are proud to support more than 151,000 jobs coast to coast and drive $23.3 billion in annual economic impact. The U.S. sugar industry will continue its collaboration with USDA to strengthen American sugar production and safeguard our national food security.