Louisiana Sugar Cane is on the Line in Presidential Election

September 23, 2004

For Immediate Release

From The Lafayette Parish Democrat Executive Committee 

Contact: Stephen Handwerk , 337-991-0294, or stephen@lafayettedemocrats.org

Lafayette – On the eve of the Louisiana Sugar Cane Festival, the Lafayette Parish Democrats and Kerry-Edwards campaign has an important message for the state: Louisiana ’s sugar cane industry is on the line in this presidential election, and Louisiana voters need to know it.

The Central American Free Trade Agreement (CAFTA) negotiated by the Bush administration is threatening the state’s sugar cane industry with a flood of foreign sugar imports that are heavily subsidized and lower in price than American-raised sugar.

If CAFTA removes the portions of the sugar import tariff system that protects Louisiana ’s sugar cane farmers and mills, the result could be devastating.

“Over the past year, the Louisiana sugar cane industry has implored the Bush administration to remove sugar from the CAFTA agreement,” stated Tony Fazzio, Lafayette Parish DEC and Louisiana Democratic Party Central Committee Member. “Not surprisingly, they have gotten contradictory messages from an administration that refuses to level with the American people on any issue.”

“The Bush administration has pursued a policy of ‘free trade’ ideology that is threatening Louisiana’s sugar cane,” stated Frank Flynn, Chairman of the Lafayette Parish DEC. The global market is awash in cheap sugar, and U.S. consumers pay so little for this commodity that they barely notice it. Allowing the U.S. market to be flooded with cheap foreign imports will benefit the American consumer little at best, but what is the benefit to our economy if we lose our state’s sugar cane industry? 27,000 Louisiana jobs and a $2 billion economic impact to Louisiana is no small matter.

“This is not an issue of being ‘pro-‘ or ‘anti-trade,” noted Flynn. Louisiana ’s farmers are not opposed to trade. Our rice farmers feel that CAFTA will benefit them, but our sugar cane farmers (along with the sugar beet farmers of Minnesota and the Midwest ) are looking at the death of their industry if this treaty goes through in its present form. Obviously, CAFTA needs to be changed to enable the survival of our sugar cane industry. But the administration has signed it, and in a typical move, put off a Congressional vote on the treaty until after the election.

The Kerry-Edwards Alternative

John Kerry and John Edwards have stated clearly their opposition to the CAFTA treaty in its present form, and vowed to renegotiate it. They have noted that the Bush administration signed an agreement that fails to protect America ’s sugar farmers, as well and lacks as well adequate environmental and labor safeguards.

“The Kerry-Edwards pledge to renegotiate CAFTA opens the door to ensuring that Louisiana ’s sugar cane farmers are not eliminated by this agreement,” stated Fazzio, “and that’s a door that the Bush administration has tried to close.”

The Kerry-Edwards platform carries other benefits for Louisiana’s sugar cane industry, such as supporting “country of origin” labeling, so that consumers can make informed choices about the agricultural products they buy; expanding renewable energy from crop sources such as ethanol; and increasing farm conservation practices such as carbon sequestration, all of which can add to the total value of Louisiana’s sugar cane crop.

“The sugar cane issue is one of several – including saving our shrimp industry (also at risk from CAFTA and the ‘dumping’ of cheap imports), and saving our coast, which supports every industry in the southern part of our state, which directly affects the future of Louisiana . The choice for our state in this race is very clear,” said Stephen Handwerk , Lafayette Parish DEC member. “John Kerry and John Edwards are the only candidates who will make those issues a national priority.”

For more information:

“Fighting for Farmers,” Kerry-Edwards Campaign, www.johnkerry.com/issues/

agriculture/.

“27000 Louisiana Jobs in Jeopardy,” American Sugar Cane League, www.amscl.org/

news/CAFTANewsRelease.pdf.

“CAFTA looms as sour pill for sugar; Trade deal not passed, but already having effect,”

The Advocate, 1/25/04 .

For More information contact Stephen Handwerk at stephen@lafayettedemocrats.org or 337-991-0294

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