American Sugar Alliance Response to 2006 Elections

WASHINGTON-In response to the 2006 congressional elections, the American Sugar Alliance released the following statement: "America's sugar producers would like to congratulate the men and women elected to serve in the 110th Congress. We are looking forward to working closely with both parties in the upcoming Farm Bill debate. "Newly-elected members will quickly discover that, unlike many politically divisive issues, agriculture is an issue that works across party lines and unites. They will also discover that sugar policy enjoys broad bipartisan support because it hasn't cost taxpayers a dime, it keeps prices affordable and stable for grocery shoppers, and it strengthens the country's food security. "The current U.S. sugar policy has been backed by the top Democrats and Republicans on the House and Senate Agriculture Committees, and it has been met with overwhelming approval on the House and Senate floors. "We fully expect this bipartisan support to continue no matter which party is in control, and we look forward to continuing our work with the Congress as the 2007 Farm Bill is discussed." The American Sugar Alliance is the national coalition of growers, processors, and refiners of sugarbeets and sugarcane, accounting for 146,000 American jobs in 19 states. Its members support a continuation of the current no-cost sugar policy in the next Farm Bill.