Sugar Producer

WWW.SUGARPRODUCER.COM 23 Our Mission To Stand Up For Sugar Staying motivated despite challenges FROM THE ASA By Rob Johansson, Director of Economics and Policy Analysis Thankfully, America's sugar farmers and workers, and U.S. sugar policy, have strong bipartisan support in Congress. During the holiday season, many of our traditions center around a meal shared with family and friends. Recipes passed down across generations are the foundation for so many memories. Of course, sugar plays a pivotal role in making these moments so sweet. At the American Sugar Alliance (ASA), we spend all year celebrating the family farmers and skilled workers who produce this essential ingredient. Sugar is truly America's sweetest industry, supporting more than 151,000 jobs and driving $23.3 billion in annual economic activity. That's why ASA has made it our mission to stand up for our sugarbeet and sugarcane farmers and workers and ensure that they can survive in a world of heavily-subsidized sugar. This year has been challenging for agriculture. We've heard from sugar farmers across the country about how increasing costs threaten their farms and our nation's food security. Maintaining a strong U.S. sugar policy and a robust farm safety net is more important now than ever. North Dakota sugarbeet farmer Jason Schatzke and Texas sugarcane farmer Lance Neuhaus wrote an opinion piece earlier this fall that was published in the Washington, DC, publication The Hill. Jason and Lance urged Congress to continue supporting American farmers. They wrote: "Like all of America's farmers, we're willing to do what it takes to get the job done and feed people across our nation. But as the number of farmers in America continues to dwindle, we need to take our food security seriously, especially as other nations are confronted by growing food scarcity and hunger. "The past few years have dealt agriculture some heavy blows, but thanks to the stability provided by federal farm policies and a sugar policy that costs taxpayers nothing, we have been able to navigate these challenges — so far." Yet, even as growers like Jason and Lance and their families were hard at work growing and harvesting the foods that feed us, Big Candy took aim at American farmers, blaming sugar farmers for the double-digit inflation for confectionary products. It's a bitter blame game, especially when Big Candy is also bragging about how their profits are up, while at the same time blaming family farmers for inflation. What is even more ironic is that Big Candy profits are in part due to America's sugarbeet and sugarcane growers and the price and supply stability provided food manufacturers by U.S. sugar policy. A new study by the University of Tennessee found that over the past 10 years, candy corporations posted high profits and a nearly double the return on investment compared to an average publicly traded U.S. firm. "It's insulting that multi-billion- dollar corporations are posting high profits while crying poor to Congress as they try to dismantle the policy that protects my farm," reacted Nate Hultgren, a sugarbeet grower in Minnesota and President of the American Sugarbeet Growers Association. Thankfully, America's sugar farmers and workers, and U.S. sugar policy, have strong bipartisan support in Congress. A bipartisan letter led by Sen. John Hoeven (R-N.D.), and signed by a total of 12 senators, urged U.S. Department of Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack to "reject proposals that would weaken U.S. sugar policy and jeopardize our nation's food security." The senators also praised the resiliency of the U.S. sugar industry, noting that "[rising] input costs, especially for fertilizer and diesel fuel, along with a labor shortage in the transportation industry, have significantly increased the cost of production for our sugar growers. Despite these current challenges, thanks to U.S. sugar policy, our sugar supply chain remains resilient and in a strong position to address future challenges." So, as you enjoy a holiday meal around the table this year, please take a moment to thank the sugar farmers and workers who invested so much to make our celebrations so sweet. I know that I will. n

• Cover