Sugar Producer

www.SugarProducer.com 23 You should know and take comfort in the speed and collaboration between the private sector and the government. I was on many calls to identify problems and look for immediate solutions. The post-9/11 response structure ensures critical elements of our economy can respond during crisis. This pandemic tested our response structure and found weaknesses in our preparation. But as a nation, we always work to do better. We should expect and demand a quicker federal response that includes distribution of well-stocked strategic medical supplies, more elastic and local supply chains, and civic engagement of citizens that heeds professional advice. On a more optimistic note, sugarbeet disaster aid has now gotten to producers. Again, a huge thank-you to Senator Hoeven of North Dakota, Representative Collin Peterson of Minnesota, their staffs, USDA personnel, and co-op CEOs and CFOs for their tireless work. A special thanks to Southern Minnesota Beet Sugar Cooperative, who was the first to initiate this effort for the 2018 crop year. Now we put this behind us and hope for a successful 2020. We continue to work with USDA on ensuring the appropriate amount of imported sugar is brought in to offset 2019 production losses. At the end of March, USDA was assessing how much sugar Mexico would ship us for the remainder of this fiscal year. For the time being, it appears that Mexico can supply the vast majority of our shortfall. We remain vigilant and urge caution that USDA does not increase imports too much. As of this writing, (March 26) we are awaiting that decision. Finally, during the first four months of 2020 chaos, ASGA, with the help of grower-leaders, completed another successful legislative fly-in. Visiting 318 offices and attending a multitude of fundraisers, growers shared their experiences of the 2019 crop disaster, the need for assistance, and the success of the U.S. sugar program during these difficult times. Thank you to all who participated! Hopefully by the publication of the next article, we will have turned the corner on COVID-19. A famous Latin phrase goes, Fluctuat nec mergitur—"She is rocked by the waves, but does not sink." In our own way, farmers understand this phrase well. As we work to provide for the nation this crop year, let's help spread a message of resilience; and through cooperation, our country will emerge from this incident stronger. n

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