Washington, D.C. – The American Bakers Association (ABA) strongly urged Congress to pass the 2013 Sugar Reform Act, legislation introduced on Valentine’s Day seeking to modernize the current U.S. sugar program. “The current U.S. sugar program is a major impediment to job creation for all food manufacturers, including thousands of U.S. bakers small and large,” said Robb MacKie, ABA president and CEO. “Archaic sugar policies have driven costs up for U.S. bakers and consumers to unmanageable levels for far too long. Now is the time for Congress to support reform that will level the playing field and allow bakers and other food manufacturers to create new jobs,” added MacKie.
“The current sugar program is a net job killer”, said Cory Martin, ABA director of government relations. “According to the U.S. Department of Commerce, the U.S. has lost over 112,000 jobs between 1997 and 2009 due to the impact of the sugar program. If job creation is a key Congressional concern, then reforming the current sugar program should be a priority as it would allow bakers a to expand and improve our ailing economy,” Martin added.
“ABA is extremely pleased with the leadership shown by Reps. Pitts, Davis, Goodlatte and Blumenauer, as well as Sens. Shaheen, Kirk, Portman, Durbin, and Toomey, along with more than 45 other congressional cosponsors, in pushing for needed reforms,” added MacKie. “We look forward to continuing to work with Congress to seek reform of the current U.S. sugar program and passage of the Sugar Reform Act.”
About the American Bakers Association:
The American Bakers Association (ABA) is the Washington D.C.-based voice of the wholesale baking industry. Since 1897, ABA has represented the interests of bakers before the U.S. Congress, federal agencies, and international regulatory authorities. ABA advocates on behalf of more than 700 baking facilities and baking company suppliers. ABA members produce bread, rolls, crackers, bagels, sweet goods, tortillas and many other wholesome, nutritious, baked products for America’s families. The baking industry generates more than $102 billion in economic activity annually and employs more than 633,000 highly skilled people.
Source: American Bakers Association