U.S. sugar industry leaders are meeting in Seattle, Washington August 2-7 for the 39th annual International Sweetener Symposium hosted by the American Sugar Alliance. This year’s conference, titled “Stability, Security, Safety: The Need for a Strong Farm Bill,” will feature farm leaders, policymakers, and experts who will address many of the critical issues facing the U.S. and world sugar and sweetener industry.

Dr. Rob Johansson, Director of Economics and Policy Analysis for the American Sugar Alliance,  offers an overview of this year’s Symposium event as Farm Bill discussions on Capitol Hill continue.

“Right now, as our farmers are in the middle of the growing season and looking towards harvest, we are especially concerned with the high cost of production. The Farm Bill provides a crucial safety net for sugarbeet and sugarcane farmers who dedicate extensive time and resources to providing every American with sugar. America’s sugarbeet and sugarcane farmers and workers are grateful for the bipartisan support from Congress, and a strengthened sugar policy will preserve this more than $23 billion-a-year industry.”

Rob Larew, President of the National Farmers Union, says with the extension to the current Farm Bill set to expire in October 2024, this year’s Symposium is especially timely.

“The Farm Bill is the foundation of agricultural policy in the United States. It ensures farmers and ranchers have the resources to overcome the uncertainties of farming, like market disruptions and unpredictable weather. By investing in our communities, the Farm Bill sustains the agricultural economy and supports family farms and jobs here at home. A great example of this is how sugar production in the U.S. creates more than 150,000 jobs in more than two dozen states.”

Joby Young, Executive Vice President of the American Farm Bureau Federation, says in addition to creating domestic jobs, the Farm Bill helps farmers threatened by imports from other countries.

“As farmers and industry experts come together this week, it’s a perfect forum to leverage our collective knowledge to navigate the complexities of agricultural policy. Farm Bureau supports a sugar program that protects the interests of domestic sugar producers and allows their sugar to compete in the marketplace. Working together, we can help secure a prosperous future for America’s farmers with the passage of a bipartisan five-year Farm Bill.”

To learn more about the International Sweetener Symposium, follow the American Sugar Alliance on X, Facebook, and Instagram or search #Sugar2024.