America’s sugarbeet and sugarcane producers are applauding a bipartisan group of lawmakers urging the U.S. Trade Representative to investigate what they describe as unfair foreign sugar trade practices harming the domestic sugar industry. The letter was signed by more than 110 members of Congress. Lawmakers called on the administration to use Section 301 authority to examine over-quota sugar imports that producers say are disrupting the U.S. sugar market. According to the letter, excessive imports have undermined U.S. sugar policy and contributed to more than $3 billion in estimated industry losses over the past two years. Michigan sugarbeet farmer Clint Hagen said many producers face the possibility of losing hundreds of dollars per acre because of continued imports. Louisiana sugarcane farmer Stephen Simoneaux (SIGH-mon-oh) said maintaining domestic sugar production is critical to protecting U.S. food security, manufacturing jobs, and family farms. The American sugar industry supports more than 151,000 jobs throughout the sugar supply chain.
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