New Tariffs on Mexico Sugar Imports Would Harm U.S. Manufacturers, Consumers in an Already High-Price Market

American Food and Beverage Companies Will Be Made Less Competitive Again by Government Policy

Washington, D.C. (June 3, 2019) – The Sweetener Users Association (SUA) today issued the following statement in response to proposed new tariffs on Mexican imports announced by President Trump last week.

For America’s food and beverage manufacturers, their employees and the consumers who enjoy their products, these new tariffs on Mexican imports add insult to injury.

Sugar supplies are already tight. U.S. consumers and manufacturers are already paying twice the world price for sugar because of the U.S. sugar program that Congress failed to fix last year, as well as the suspension agreements with Mexico.

With about one-third of much-needed U.S. sugar imports coming from Mexico, the American sugar-using industry and consumers will feel the pain. American food and beverage companies will be made even less competitive — yet again — by misguided government policy. The end result will be to encourage more imports of sugar-containing products from foreign countries. Net imports of these products already displace 1 million tons of U.S. sugar per year.

America’s food and beverage manufacturers and the more than 600,000 Americans they employ urge President Trump to reconsider these harmful tariffs.

Media Contact:
Frances Cox
(202) 822-9491
[email protected]