Coalition for Sugar Reform Disappointed With Lack of Progress

WASHINGTON, D.C. -- The Coalition for Sugar Reform voiced its disapproval of the U.S. Senate's tabling of a sugar reform amendment to the 2012 Farm Bill. Sen. Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.) authored the bill.

"Although members of the Coalition for Sugar Reform are disappointed that the Senate voted today to table the Shaheen amendment by a 50-46 vote, we are encouraged that on a bipartisan basis, nearly half the Senate clearly sees the need to debate and reform current U.S. sugar policy," wrote the coalition in a release statement.

The leadership of Senators Shaheen, Dick Lugar (R-Indiana), Mark Kirk (R-Illinois), Pat Toomey (R-Pennsylvania), Dick Durbin (D-Illinois) and Dan Coats (R-Indiana) was outstanding and provides hope that Congress will reform "outdated" subsidies, according to the release.

"To date, the costly U.S. sugar program has received no hearings, testimony or debate in either the Senate Agriculture Committee or on the Senate Floor, as consideration of the 2012 Farm Bill moves forward," stated the coalition. "The Coalition will strongly support another bipartisan amendment by Sens. Shaheen, Lugar, Kirk, Durbin, Toomey, Coats, Portman and Ayotte that would roll back some of the worst aspects of current sugar policy, without completely repealing the program."

"The Coalition for Sugar Reform urges the Senate to allow debate on this important amendment so that Senators have an opportunity to vote directly to help American consumers and help preserve jobs in America's sugar-using industries," it concluded.

The Coalition for Sugar Reform represents consumer, trade, and commerce groups, manufacturing associations, and food and beverage companies that use sugar, as well as the trade associations for these industries. For more information on its stance on U.S. sugar policy and its support of that policy's reform, visit www.SugarReform.org.