Sugar Producer

www.SugarProducer.com 23 FROM THE ASA By Phillip Hayes | Director of Media Relations Sugar's Sweet Success Story Sugarbeet growers take their message to Congress Sugarbeet growers from Michigan to California recently traded in coveralls and boots for suits and ties and took to the halls of Congress to share the positive story of American sugar with lawmakers. For most of the producers, it was their first trip back to the Capitol since the Farm Bill was approved late last year. The Farm Bill preserved the strong federal policy that ensures our farmers can continue producing a sustainable and affordable supply of domestic sugar for consumers and manufacturers across the country. Given the overwhelming support for sugar policy in the House of Representatives and the Farm Bill's bipartisan passage, there were many members on both sides of the aisle to thank for standing up for our industry. Growers met with dozens of members to share a message of gratitude straight from the heartland. With more than 100 new representatives, it was equally important for growers to educate those unfamiliar with our no-cost sugar policy. Explaining just how important it is to protect sugar policy meant sharing their personal stories demonstrating the importance of sugar farming to their families and communities. It's far from an easy job, but sugar farmers take immense pride in being able to provide affordable American- made sugar produced from crops raised under some of the highest standards. And our farmers value efficiency. In fact, America's beet farmers are among the lowest-cost beet sugar producers in the world. As Minnesota sugarbeet grower Dan Younggren from said, "We've literally bet the farm that our businesses will succeed, so we are always striving to improve." And with 142,000 hardworking men and women employed by sugar across more than 20 states, protecting sugar jobs was another one of the primary messages delivered by sugar producers. The salaries and benefits associated with those sugar jobs pump more than $4.2 billion a year into both urban and rural communities. Often, the sugar industry provides employment in areas where job opportunities would otherwise be limited. The income generated by farms and processors supports not only direct jobs but a multitude of other industries and local businesses. The economic impact of a sugarbeet expands far beyond the soil in which it is grown. One item that resonated with many representatives was the fact that beet sugar processing plants are structured as cooperatives that are 100 percent owned by farmers. And every single beet sugar processor employs union labor. The American Sugar Alliance previously spoke with sugar worker Tracy Bentley, who has worked for the Western Sugar Cooperative for more than 20 years and knows firsthand the value the sugar industry brings to her community. "It would be hard for me to imagine what this community would be like without sugar—without the industry," Tracy said. "[Just think of] the number of jobs that people would no longer have. What would replace the acres that are no longer sugarbeets?" It is clear that a vibrant sugar industry means economic opportunities for families and towns across America. Thank you to every grower who took the time to travel to Washington, D.C., and share their stories with Congress. The advocacy of everyday producers is vital to protecting the no-cost sugar policy that supports America's sugar farmers and workers. n It's far from an easy job, but sugar farmers take immense pride in being able to provide affordable American-made sugar produced from crops raised under some of the highest standards.

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