Citizen Outreach and Citizen Outreach Foundation

06/01/2022

"This is likely to tighten up global supplies and result in higher sugar prices on the world market."

(Chuck Muth) – For the first time in six years, India – the world’s biggest sugar producer and #2 sugar exporter – has imposed export restrictions “to prevent a surge in domestic prices.” According to a recent Reuters story, the government will cap this season’s exports at 10 million t...

02/21/2022

"Mr. Khan chooses to ignore the international market reality that has resulted in the U.S. policy of modest tariffs and import restrictions on sugar from certain global competitors: Foreign government subsidies."

(Chuck Muth) – In what I take to be a clear indication the COVID crisis is easing, critics of U.S. sugar policy are back at it in 2022, complete with what Big Tech would call “misinformation.” Writing for the Daily Iowan, Shahab Khan perpetuates the claim that “it is in the best interest of ...

12/29/2021

"Which means U.S. sugar policy restrictions on the import of artificially cheap, subsidized sugar from India will need to remain in place for the foreseeable future. Unless India voluntarily agrees to knock it off. Don’t hold your breath waiting."

(Chuck Muth) – It all started in early 2019. Australia, Brazil and Guatemala complained that India’s sugar subsidies were distorting the world market and giving the country an unfair trade advantage. According to a report this month by Harikishan Sharma of the Indian Express… “All three coun...

11/29/2021

India Must Pass Its Sugar Test

“The world sugar market does not need another round of price-depressing Indian sugar subsidies, which impose an enormous cost on the world’s most efficient sugar producers.”
https://freemarketsugar.com/india-must-pass-its-sugar-test/

11/04/2021

"Halloween chocolate and candy sales hit $324 million, which is an 48% increase from 2020 and an 59.8% increase from 2019.” - Hagstrom Report

(Chuck Muth) – Halloween 2022 has now come and gone with a twist this year: Few scary, holiday-themed op-eds and press releases from Big Candy railing against the U.S. sugar program. Halloween is usually a “don’t miss” opportunity for candy lobbyists in DC to push Congress for an end to targ...

10/27/2021

"Thanks to President Biden’s “supply chain” crisis, grocery and retail store shelves are empty of products usually found in abundance. .. There’s a shortage of coffee beans, wheat, barley, peas, and even chicken wings!

"But not sugar..."

(Chuck Muth) – Americans aren’t used to doing without. They’re accustomed to living in the land of plenty. If you want it, it’s there. When you want it. From multiple sources. At competitively affordable prices. Not anymore. Thanks to President Biden’s “supply chain” crisis, grocery an...

09/20/2021

“There is not much hope of us winning the case,” an Indian government official told Mishra under condition of anonymity.

(Chuck Muth) – Asit Ranjan Mishra of LiveMint.com reported last week that India is likely to lose in a WTO (World Trade Organization) complaint over sugar export subsidies that was filed against it by Brazil, Australia and Guatemala. The dispute alleges that India’s export subsidies for producer...

09/16/2021

“Our producers — whether they’re farmers or processors — can compete against foreign farmers or processors on a level playing field. It’s when governments come in, and tilt the playing field, that it’s really unfair,” Roney said.

Thankfully, there’s a bipartisan proposal in Congress called Zero-for-Zero which proposes bringing all countries to the table and eliminating all sugar subsidies. Only then will the United States eliminate its sugar policy.

(Michigan Farm News) – “I’m very proud of the fact that we’ve sustained a sugar policy that has operated at zero cost to taxpayers,” Jack Roney, the veteran sugar economist, said on a recent episode of Groundwork while reflecting on his storied career at the American Sugar Alliance (ASA). ...

09/06/2021

"Like so many other U.S. industries, sugar producers have to compete with cheap imports that have been unfairly subsidized by foreign governments and are often produced under horrific labor conditions, including forced labor and child labor." - Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi

(Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi) – President Joe Biden has made strengthening domestic manufacturing and production a key element of his economic agenda, and I proudly stand with the president in supporting America’s hardworking men and women. That’s why I voted — along with the overwhelming, bipa...

08/13/2021

"In fact, it’s not the cost of sugar that’s jacked up food prices; it’s the cost of labor, taxation, government regulations, insurance and, yes, Big Candy profit-taking.

"Another inconvenient fact: Eliminating import quotas on foreign sugar from competitors who 'cheat' in the international marketplace would wipe out many U.S. family sugar farms."

(Chuck Muth) – A couple dozen members of the U.S. Senate and House, led by Sens. Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) and Pat Toomey (R-PA) have raised from the dead a bill to unilaterally eliminate the U.S. sugar program. The intent is to lift restrictions and open the floodgates to artificially cheap sugar imp...

08/04/2021

"As with many pieces of legislation coming out of Washington, DC, the 'Fair Sugar Policy Act' is as misnamed as it is misleading.

"What it would do is eliminate limited protections – import quotas and tariffs – for U.S. sugar producers that otherwise would be forced to compete with international sugar producers that are subsidized by their governments, thus giving them an unfair advantage."

(Chuck Muth) – COVID surge. Border crisis. Rising inflation. Dropping stock prices. Middle East flare-ups. Losing Afghanistan. Criminal violence in major cities. You’d think Congress has enough on its plate already without wasting time on…sugar. But you’d be wrong. U.S. Sens. Jeanne Shaheen ...

07/21/2021

"Indian taxpayers and government have propped up the sugar industry through high cane prices, high sugar prices and export subsidies paid to India’s sugar and ethanol sector.”

(Chuck Muth) – Green Pool Commodity Specialists – an independent, privately-owned company in Australia which specializes in global sugar market analysis – recently released a study titled, “Indian Sugar: The Impact of Over-production on Sugar Industry Revenues.” The study found that “Ind...