The Senate Agriculture Committee has won the praise of the sugar industry for its proposal to continue a no-cost sugar policy in the Farm Bill. A letter, signed by the 17-member International Sugar Trade Coalition, says “US sugar policy … is important to sugar producers in developing nations because it provides a guaranteed level of access to the US sugar market at fair, predictable prices.”
“The Committee overwhelmingly agreed that America’s popular no-cost sugar policy should be continued,” the American Sugar Alliance’s statement says. “This is great news for the 142,000 Americans employed by the sugar industry; great news for the country’s food security; and great news for taxpayers who will continue to receive an ample and affordable sugar supply without government cost.”
Though it has a huge domestic industry, the US is projected to import 3.7 million tons of sugar from 40 countries this year.
