Victor Fazio: “when I came to Congress 20 years ago I had hundreds of sugar beet growers in the Sacramento Valley. Today we have far…”

“when I came to Congress 20 years ago I had hundreds of sugar beet growers in the Sacramento Valley. Today we have far fewer. Acreage is down. We have lost a number of refineries. They are closing because there is not enough product grown anymore, because the growers cannot make a living on the current sugar price. What we see every year when we have this debate is a fight between the processors, the candy and other sugar-consuming industries, like soft drinks, and those hardy farmers who continue to struggle to remain in businesses. This is a predatory battle, and regardless of what we do today, and I hope we defeat this amendment, it will continue to be a predatory effort to eliminate sugar growers of all types in all 17 States that grow beets or cane sugar. What we see, unfortunately, is an effort to appeal to consumers and environmentalists. Frankly, if we continue to see dumping from overseas sugar interests we will see the end of this domestic industry, and then we will be at the mercy of people who bring their product here. And sugar prices would certainly increase. If we continue to take land out of agricultural production, it will not help preserve open space. Environmentalists are wrong if they oppose this amendment. Mr. Chairman, the bottom line here is, for environmentalists to take up this cause and use this as a way of determining how people should vote this fall by using this issue is wrong.”