Just before the current congressional recess, Rep. Joe Pitts (R-Pa.) introduced legislation (HR 6375) that would eliminate the U.S. sugar program and stop federal government sugar purchases. Ending the program would save approximately $1.4 billion over the next ten years, says Pitts.
In a statement, Pitts calls the federal sugar program "a needless waste of government money that is actually counterproductive to the goal of creating jobs in the US ." In his opinion, using taxpayer money to back loans to the sugar industry and buy sugar "should not be a function of our federal government."
Pitts also claims that sugar producers currently are making "healthy profits," and that his legislation would "stop public money from propping up companies that should be providing for themselves."
Pitts' proposed legislation has been welcomed by the National Confectioners Association, which has long campaigned for reform of the U.S. sugar policy, although the trade organization said it does not expect a vote to take place during this Congress.
NCA claims that current sugar policy has eliminated 14,000 confectionery jobs and more than 75,000 food manufacturing jobs from the United States over the past decade as companies have moved to countries with cheaper sugar supplies.
However, the American Sugar Alliance which represents the interests of U.S. sugar growers, has consistently opposed food industry calls for increased imports. ASA spokesperson Phillip Hayes told the press: "Congressman Pitts is clearly in the minority here. Support for sugar policy has increased on Capitol Hill, not decreased. I think he would have a really, really hard time getting this legislation through."
Pitts is not a member of the House Agriculture Committee, which is chaired by Democrat Collin Peterson from Minnesota, a major sugar beet producing state.
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