Sugar Farmers Applaud New Sugar Caucus

Sugar Farmers Applaud New Sugar Caucus

Washington, D.C. - America's sugar producers thanked Congressmen Mike Simpson (R-Idaho) and Collin Peterson (D-Minn.) for starting a House Sugar Caucus to help promote and maintain America's no-cost sugar program in the 2007 Farm Bill today.

"We are lucky to have two strong lawmakers like Simpson and Peterson looking out for America's sugar producers and the policy on which they depend," said Don Wallace, chairman of the American Sugar Alliance. "Some sugar policy opponents want to put sugar farmers out of business, and it's comforting to know that our elected representatives will not let that happen."

Simpson, a member of the House Appropriations and Budget Committees, and Peterson, the top Democrat on the House Agriculture Committee, sent a letter to their colleagues on Thursday about the new caucus, and they are actively recruiting new members.

Wallace expects numerous members of Congress to join.

"The last sugar policy vote taken in the House signaled that support for the program is at an all-time high," Wallace said. "Sugar policy doesn't cost taxpayers a dime, it keeps prices low and stable for consumers, and it is critical to America's food security. No wonder support is building."

"It is my hope that this caucus will heighten the awareness of sugar's impact to all members of congress," Simpson said. "Sugar is not only important to Idaho, but it's important to our entire nation and too often it is left on the back burner."

The American Sugar Alliance is the national coalition of growers, processors, and refiners of sugarbeets and sugarcane, accounting for 146,000 American jobs in 19 states.

http://www.house.gov/apps/list/press/id02_simpson/sugar_farmers.html