The Sweetener Users Association, which represents industrial-scale users of sugar as an ingredient in food, said this week it is opposed to the tariffs that President Donald Trump has said he will impose on all Mexican goods coming into the United States on Monday if Mexico does not stop illegal immigration and drug movements into the United States.
The tariffs would start at 5 percent but rise to 25 percent if Mexico does not act, Trump said.
“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 group said. “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,” SUA concluded.