Congress urges USTR to investigate sugar industry practices 

A large coalition of 110 senators and House members on Thursday sent Trade Representative Jamieson Greer a letter urging him to utilize Section 301 of the Trade Act of 1974 to investigate unfair and discriminatory trade practices by foreign sugar-producing countries.

“These practices have led to global excess capacity of foreign subsidized sugar and more than a 700% increase in out-of-quota (tier two) sugar imports into the United States between fiscal years 2021 and 2025 compared to the prior five-year average, causing direct harm to our constituents,” the letter said.  

Current tariff rates on sugar have become ineffective due to inflation and a North Dakota State University study concluded that over-quota imports depressed U.S. domestic raw sugar prices by approximately 5 to 8 cents per pound during FY2025-FY2026, the letter said. 

The American Sugar Alliance, which represents beet and cane growers, praised Sens. John Hoeven, R-N.D.  and Elissa Slotkin, D-Mich., and Reps. Julie Fedorchak, R-N.D.,  and Troy Carter, D-La., for assembling the coalition that signed the letter. 

“The losses we are experiencing are staggering and unsustainable,” said Brent Baldwin, a fourth-generation sugar beet farmer from St. Thomas, N.D. 

“Our farms and factories won’t be able to hold on much longer if the U.S. cannot control the artificially and destructively cheap foreign sugar imports that are undercutting American-made sugar,” Baldwin said.

“Sugar is a critical ingredient in our food supply,” said Stephen Simoneaux, a fifth-generation sugarcane farmer from Plattenville, La. 

“We must keep this essential industry in the United States. We cannot outsource our farms, factory jobs, and food production to foreign nations.”