Washington, D.C. (May 17, 2018) – Today, as the House begins debate on amendments to the 2018 Farm Bill, the Alliance for Fair Sugar Policy (AFSP) released a list of more than 100 small businesses, newspaper editorial boards and taxpayer watchdog, consumer protection and environmental groups that have called on Congress to modernize the U.S. sugar program. The House is expected to consider an amendment – the Foxx-Davis Amendment – that would make modest reforms to modernize the 80-year-old U.S. program and ensure fairness for American manufacturers and consumers.
“We are encouraged by the groundswell of bipartisan support in Congress and among a broad coalition of small businesses and organizations of all stripes for modernizing the outdated sugar program,” said Jennifer Cummings, AFSP spokesperson. “This level of support for sugar reform is unprecedented. Now it’s time for the House to say yes to fairness, yes to competitiveness, and yes to protecting and creating American jobs.”
The small businesses and organizations that have called for sugar reform include:
Adams & Brooks, Inc. (California)
Albanese Confectionery Group (Indiana)
Albany Times Union Editorial Board
ALEC Action
American Bakers Association
American Beverage Association
American Commitment
American Conservation Coalition
American Conservative Union
American Enterprise Institute
American Frozen Food Institute
Americans for Prosperity
Americans for Tax Reform
Artfully Edible (New Jersey)
Atkinson Candy Company (Texas)
Biscoamerica Corporation (California)
Bissinger’s Handcrafted Chocolate (Missouri)
Brown & Haley Co. (Washington)
Bullsugar.org
California Hispanic Chambers of Commerce
Campaign for Liberty
Cato Institute
Center for Biological Diversity
Center for Freedom and Prosperity
Center for Individual Freedom
Center for Innovation and Free Enterprise
Center for Worker Freedom
Chicago Tribune Editorial Board
Clean Water Action
Club for Growth
Coalition to Reduce Spending
Competitive Enterprise Institute
Conservancy of Southwest Florida
Consumer Choice Center
Consumer Federation of America
Coral Street Catering (New Jersey)
Corse’s Cookies (New York)
Council for Citizens Against Government Waste
EFCO Products (New York)
Everglades Trust
Florida Defenders of the Environment
Florida Wildlife Federation
Food Industry Alliance of New York State, Inc.
Food Marketing Institute
Ford Gum & Machine Company (New York)
Free the People
Freedom Partners
FreedomWorks
Goetze’s Candy Company (Maryland)
Gold Medal Bakery (Massachusetts)
Grocery Manufacturers Association
Hawaiian Host, Inc. (Hawaii & California)
Heartland Institute
Heritage Action
Heritage Foundation
Horchata Mexican Food and Bakery (California)
Independent Bakers Association
Independent Women’s Forum
Independent Women’s Voice
International Dairy Foods Association
John Locke Foundation
Just Born Quality Confections (Pennsylvania)
Kimmie Candy (Nevada)
LA Area Chamber of Commerce
Madelaine Chocolate Company (New York)
Manhattan Beach Creamery (California)
Melville Candy Company (Massachusetts)
National Association of Manufacturers
National Black Chamber of Commerce
National Confectioners Association
National Consumers League
National Foreign Trade Council
National Parks Conservation Association
National Taxpayers Union Foundation
Noyes Bakery (California)
Orlando Sentinel Editorial Board
Peanut and Tree Nut Processors Association
Public Policy Foundation of West Virginia
R Street Institute
Reef Relief
Retail Bakers of America
Rio Grande Foundation
RM Palmer Company (Pennsylvania)
Rosalie’s Restaurant and Bakery (California)
Sanibel-Captiva Conservation Foundation
Sconza Chocolates (California)
Sierra Club
Sierra Club Broward Group
Small Business & Entrepreneurship Council
SNAC International
Spangler Candy Company (Ohio)
Sun Sentinel Editorial Board
Sweetener Users Association
Tampa Bay Times Editorial Board
Taste Elevated (Texas)
Taxpayers for Common Sense
Taxpayers Protection Alliance
TC Palm Editorial Board
Texas Association of Business
The Promotion in Motion Companies, Inc. (New Jersey)
Trade Alliance to Promote Prosperity
Treasure Coast Editorial Board
U.S. Chamber of Commerce
Valley Industry & Commerce Association (VICA)
Wall Street Journal Editorial Board
Washington Post Editorial Board
More than 600,000 Americans are employed throughout every state in the country by small, family-owned businesses and other food manufacturers that include sugar as an ingredient in the products they make. The impact is especially great on small, family-owned businesses that are the backbone of the U.S. economy. Click here to hear directly from small business owners and employees who are negatively impacted by the outdated and outrageous sugar program.
AFSP supports the Foxx-Davis Amendment, which would help ensure an adequate supply of sugar at reasonable prices for American businesses – while preserving the sugar program and without risking an appropriate safety net for farmers.
The Alliance for Fair Sugar Policy (AFSP) is a broad-based coalition advocating to modernize the outdated and outrageous U.S. sugar program. Formed by a sizeable group of small, family-owned businesses and manufacturers, retailers, food and beverage companies, trade associations, environmental advocates, taxpayer watchdog organizations, responsible government advocates, think tanks and other organizations, the group’s goal is to help level the playing field for American manufacturers and their families when it comes to being able to create jobs.