US sugar producers support Peru agreement
Brownfield, USA
U.S. sugar producers support Peru agreement
Thursday, February 23, 2006
by Tom Steever
Here’s a switch. U.S. sugar farmers are supporting a proposed U.S./Peru Free Trade Agreement. They’ve been solidly against FTAs in the past.
American Sugarbeet Growers Association President Steve Williams says this agreement is more manageable for U.S. sugar producers. He says sugar producers support subsidy-free trade. What they have a problem with, according to Williams, is giving subsidized foreign producers what they say is an unfair advantage over U.S. producers who don’t get subsidies.
Williams says American sugar producers want to work with Congress and U.S. trade negotiators to create a world sugar market that’s not so distorted by subsidies from Brazil, Colombia, Thailand and other sugar superpowers.
Early in 2005 the Bush Administration had a difficult fight with U.S. sugar interests over the Central American Free Trade Agreement or CAFTA.
The NAFB News Service contributed to this article.
