On the recordMay 17, 2018
The fact is that there are lots of companies that use sugar and are behemoths. I represent a number of them in Portland, Oregon, that are confectioners, candy makers, and bakers who are concerned about this. In terms of the benefit, think about the 13 mega processors that the sugar program forces manufacturers to pay far more than they need. This is a $3 billion burden on the taxpayer. We have an opportunity here to deal with one other area. If we start getting the pricing right, there is another hidden tax in terms of the sugar system that we have, and that has been on the Florida Everglades. We have a $7.5 billion down payment because of the damage that has been inflicted on the Everglades by the massive cane sugar operation that has increased dramatically in the last 50 years, a cost that taxpayers will be footing and environmental costs to go with the burden on sugar-using industries. I strongly urge approval of the amendment.
