America’s Food and Beverage Manufacturers Look Ahead to Senate Debate

Washington, DC (May 17, 2018) – The Sweetener Users Association (SUA) issued the following statement in response to the U.S. House of Representatives’ consideration of a sugar policy modernization amendment to the 2018 Farm Bill.

“While we are disappointed in the outcome of today’s vote, the reality is, it does not reflect the level of support for sugar program modernization among members of Congress on both sides of the political aisle and in both chambers.

“We applaud Representative Foxx for her unwavering leadership on sugar policy reform, and Representatives Blumenauer, Goodlatte, Kind, Perry, Sanford and Speier for standing up today on the floor to support American consumers and manufacturers.

“The fight for fairness in the sugar program now moves to the Senate, and we look forward to making the case to Senators that this more than 80-year-old program needs to be reformed to help sustain and create American jobs and advance the competitiveness of our nation’s largest manufacturing sector. We think that case is strong considering that American consumers pay an annual hidden tax of between $2.4 to $4 billion on sugar-containing products; taxpayers paid $259 million just a few years ago to bail out sugar processors; and for every sugar-processing job subsidized by higher U.S. sugar prices, three manufacturing jobs are lost.”

The sugar program impacts every American consumer and the ability of American food and beverage manufacturers who use sugar in the products they make to compete in the global marketplace. More than 600,000 American workers are employed in these industries and their jobs are at risk. That is because while their competitors in Canada, for example, can access sugar at the world price, American manufacturers are forced to pay twice as much, hampering their ability to generate economic growth in their local communities and create and sustain jobs.

SUA supported the Foxx amendment, the provisions of which are likely to be introduced as an amendment to the Farm Bill when the Senate begins its debate.

Media Contact:
Jennifer Cummings
(202) 822-9491
jcummings@fratelli.com