News

Sugarbeet growers want sugar policy maintained

 

Sugarbeet growers are supportive of the draft farm bill passed by the House Ag Committee which maintains current sugar policy.

Ray Van Driessche with the Michigan Sugar Company tells Brownfield sugar policy in the farm bill helps to protect American growers from unfair trading practices.  “This policy is very important that we have some kind of a safety net of fall back against foreign subsidies that are out there by almost every country that grows sugar.”

He says sugar has been a zero-cost policy in past farm bills expect in 2012 when Mexico violated trading agreements.  “There was a small cost to the program at that time, but it’s now projected by the Congressional Budget Office that we won’t have a cost over the next ten years again.”

Van Driessche says the industry has been able to settle issues with Mexico dumping sugar into the U.S. which has also made sugar trade a non-issue in NAFTA negotiations.

AUDIO: Interview with Ray Van Driessche

Add Comment

Your email address will not be published.


 

Stay Up to Date

Subscribe for our newsletter today and receive relevant news straight to your inbox!