The release of the 2014 farm bill conference report left many people shaking their heads in disappointment. Policymakers failed to take any action to fix the Depression-era U.S. sugar program that is in such dire need of reform. With U.S. sugar subsidies costing American taxpayers nearly $300 million last year alone and putting hundreds of thousands of manufacturing jobs at risk, reform is needed now more than ever.
NCA’s president, Larry Graham, who is also chairman of the Coalition for Sugar Reform, had this to say:
“While the Farm Bill process may be nearly complete, sugar reform remains unfinished business. Congress’s failure to make changes to our nation’s sugar policy — despite its costs — underscores the importance of continuing the fight for reform.
We will continue to work with House and Senate leaders to make sure that the sugar program is on the table, even if those legislative efforts must take place outside of the Farm Bill process.”
- Larry Graham, President of the National Confectioners Association
Beyond the taxpayer costs, the sugar program is a net job killer and has cost American consumers and businesses $3 billion annually over the last five years as a result of higher sugar prices. Reform legislation introduced by a bipartisan group of members of the House and Senate is aimed at helping protect hundreds of thousands of good American manufacturing jobs and ensuring that taxpayers and consumers will not have to keep picking up the tab for this broken program, while still maintaining a safety net for sugar producers.
For more information about U.S. sugar policy and why reform is long overdue to protect the nation’s consumers, food manufacturers and small businesses, visit www.SugarReform.org.
Were you surprised by this action? What do you think will and should happen next?
