Sugar program faces threat Jon Knutson, The Forum July 19, 2007 Proposed legislation to abolish the U.S. sugar program would hurt the nation and the Red River Valley, sugar industry leaders say. The Food and Agriculture Risk Management for the 21st Century Act, commonly known as FARM 21, was introduced this spring by several U.S. Congressmen. The legislation would make a number of changes to U.S. farm policy, including eliminating the U.S. sugar program. The sugar program revolves around managing domestic production and supplies and sugar imports. Minnesota last year led the nation in sugar beet production. North Dakota was second. Most of the two states’ beets are grown in the Red River Valley. Current sugar policies work just fine, said David Berg, president of Moorhead-based American Crystal Sugar. “I ask people how much they pay for their gas and they always know,” he said. “But they don’t know how much they pay for sugar. The point is, gas prices are high and volatile, while sugar prices are low and stable.” David Roche, president of Wahpeton, N.D.-based Minn-Dak Farmers Cooperative, also said the current sugar program should be kept. Philip Hayes, director of media relations for the Washington-based American Sugar Alliance, said the quality of foreign sugar is erratic and unpredictable. FARM 21’s backers include Rep. Ron Kind, D-Wis. On his Web site, Kind said current U.S. farm policies are outmoded. Congress is working to create a new U.S. farm bill, which actually is a series of government programs. The current farm bill expires at the end of the year. Rep. Collin Peterson, D-Minn., chairman of the House Agriculture Committee, is playing a key role in writing the next farm bill. Peterson was in meetings Wednesday and unavailable to comment, a spokeswoman said. Roche said Peterson has been a consistent support of the sugar program. Bill Hejl, an Amenia, N.D., sugar producer and president of the Red River Valley Sugar Beet Growers Association, is optimistic the current sugar program will be kept. By: Jon Knutson, The Forum Printed With Permission