High-Tier Sugar Imports Should Be Addressed Through More Responsive Sugar Program Administration, Not Higher Duties

Press Releases

Vail, Colorado (August 4, 2026) — The rise in high-tier sugar imports — sugar brought into the United States outside normal import quotas and subject to substantial duties — should be addressed through more responsive U.S. sugar program administration, not higher duties, argued Randy Green of Watson Green LLC during a panel discussion today at the American Sugar Alliance’s 41st International Sweetener Symposium. …

SUA Urges USDA to Reallocate Raw Sugar TRQ After Supplies Fall Below Target Levels

Press Releases

Washington, D.C. (July 17, 2026) — In a letter sent this week to U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Under Secretaries Luke Lindberg and Richard Fordyce, the Sweetener Users Association (SUA) urged USDA to immediately reallocate the fiscal year (FY) 2026 raw sugar tariff-rate quota (TRQ) after the July World Agricultural Supply and Demand Estimates (WASDE) incorporated corrections to sugar delivery data that lowered the projected 2025/26 sugar stocks-to-use ratio from 14.8% to 13.4%, below USDA’s minimum 13.5% target level. …

SUA Letter to USDA Under Secretaries Lindberg and Fordyce Regarding TRQ Reallocation

Letters

The Sweetener Users Association submitted the following letter to U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Under Secretaries Luke Lindberg and Richard Fordyce, urging USDA to immediately reallocate the fiscal year (FY) 2026 raw sugar tariff-rate quota (TRQ) after the July World Agricultural Supply and Demand Estimates (WASDE) incorporated corrections to sugar delivery data that lowered the projected 2025/26 sugar stocks-to-use ratio from 14.8% to 13.4%, below USDA’s minimum 13.5% target level.  

SUA Comments on Proposed Section 301 Tariffs on Brazil

Letters

These comments are respectfully submitted in response to the request for information (RFI) published by the Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS) in the Federal Register of December 15, 2025. Members of the Sweetener Users Association (SUA) use sugar and other sweeteners in making foods and beverages. Approximately 700,000 Americans are directly employed in segments of the food and beverage industries that use sugar …

SUA Comments on Proposed Section 301 Tariff Increases for High-Tier Sugar Imports

Letters

These comments are respectfully submitted in response to the request for information (RFI) published by the Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS) in the Federal Register of December 15, 2025. Members of the Sweetener Users Association (SUA) use sugar and other sweeteners in making foods and beverages. Approximately 700,000 Americans are directly employed in segments of the food and beverage industries that use sugar …

Day Two of International Sweetener Colloquium Addresses U.S. Sugar Program Administration and Policy Challenges

Press Releases

Washington, D.C. (February 24, 2026) — The International Sweetener Colloquium, co-hosted by the Sweetener Users Association (SUA) and the International Dairy Foods Association, continued today with a panel discussion focused on how federal agencies can best administer the U.S. sugar program to benefit all stakeholders following recent reforms …

Industry Leaders Convene at 2026 International Sweetener Colloquium

Press Releases

Washington, D.C. (February 23, 2026) — The International Sweetener Colloquium, co‑hosted by the Sweetener Users Association (SUA) and the International Dairy Foods Association, kicked off today, convening key players from across the sweetener industry — including sugar buyers, producers, processors and distributors — to discuss the current state-of-play in the U.S. and world sugar markets …

Bloomberg: Sugar Group Asks USDA to Raise Standards for Refined Imports

In the News

A major sugar industry group is urging the US Department of Agriculture to raise its standards for refined sugar imports, saying current requirements permit lower-grade products into the country.

The Sweetener Users Association said that many food companies require refined sugar of higher purity than the government currently mandates.

Sugar quality is measured by “polarity,” a technical gauge of purity. Most food manufacturers use sugar with a polarity between 99.8 and 99.9 degrees, but US import rules allow a minimum of only 99.5 degrees. Sugar with a polarity below 99.5 is considered raw …