House debates sugar resolution
October 11, 2013 | 06:40 PM
The House today debated a “sense of the House” resolution that conferees on the farm bill should repeal “the Administration of Tariff Rate Quotas language as added by the Food, Conservation, and Energy Act of 6 2008, and thus restore the secretary of Agriculture’s authority to manage supplies of sugar throughout the marketing year to meet domestic demand at reasonable prices.”
The Sweetener Users Association maintains that the provision makes it difficult for the Agriculture secretary to manage sugar imports so that there are not shortages or price spikes, but the American Sugar Alliance, which represents the growers, supports it.
Rep. Joe Pitts, R-Pa., noted that a farm bill amendment to make changes to the sugar program came closer to passage on the House floor this year, although it failed. Pitts described the resolution as “modest” compared to the earlier amendment but timely because the sugar program is supposed to operate at no taxpayer cost but has incurred $250 million in costs this year.
House Agriculture Committee ranking member Collin Peterson, D-Minn., opposed the resolution on the grounds that many governments support sugar growers.
“We settled this issue when we had debate on the floor in June,” Peterson said.
A vote is expected Saturday on the resolution.
The Sweetener Users Association maintains that the provision makes it difficult for the Agriculture secretary to manage sugar imports so that there are not shortages or price spikes, but the American Sugar Alliance, which represents the growers, supports it.
Rep. Joe Pitts, R-Pa., noted that a farm bill amendment to make changes to the sugar program came closer to passage on the House floor this year, although it failed. Pitts described the resolution as “modest” compared to the earlier amendment but timely because the sugar program is supposed to operate at no taxpayer cost but has incurred $250 million in costs this year.
House Agriculture Committee ranking member Collin Peterson, D-Minn., opposed the resolution on the grounds that many governments support sugar growers.
“We settled this issue when we had debate on the floor in June,” Peterson said.
A vote is expected Saturday on the resolution.
