American Sugar

Floor Speech

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Mr. HIGGINS of Louisiana. Mr. Speaker, I rise today on behalf of the American farmer.

Mr. Speaker, will this body recognize the heritage and culture, the sacrifice of American farmers, who for generations have provided for our country and our world.

I rise today in support of one of America's most important agricultural commodities that supports an industry which produces $20 billion of domestic economic activity annually: sugar.

I have the honor of representing southwest Louisiana, where sugar contributes $3.5 billion to our State economy annually and employs over 16,000 hardworking Louisiana citizens.

Mr. Speaker, these men and women have come into their lives embracing the heritage and hard work of their mothers, their fathers, their grandmothers, their grandfathers. For generations, by the toil of their labor and the sweat of their brow, they have tilled the soil and raised sugar.

The United States has historically been a reliable supplier of high- quality, low-cost sugar that is used by consumers domestically and internationally. In fact, Americans on average spend over 20 percent less for sugar than consumers in other nations, and manufacturers pay roughly the same price for American sugar that they did in the 1980s.

American sugar growers last year produced 32,000 tons of sugar, 13,800 tons of which came from south Louisiana.

While sugar prices have remained flat for the past three decades, the cost of farming has not, as equipment, fuel, and fertilizer costs have all risen between 90 percent to 200 percent in that same timeframe.

We must protect the future of American sugar and American sugar farmers, American sugar farm families.

Mr. Speaker, I urge all my colleagues to support American farmers and pass H.R. 2, the Agricultural and Nutrition Act of 2018, as amended, by the House Committee on Agriculture.

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