Posted on 12/03/2015 3:28:02 PM PST by VinL
The head of the nation's largest sugar beet cooperative said Thursday that shareholders will see improved results this year, but two of his group's biggest challenges are the anti-genetically modified foods movement and Republican presidential candidate Sen. Ted Cruz.
American Crystal Sugar Co. CEO David Berg received the only round of applause during his speech to the group's annual meeting when he challenged Cruz to a debate over the Republican presidential candidate's call to do away with government support for the sugar industry.
"We will defend the sugar program for a long, long time," Berg said, pretending he was addressing the Texas senator. "Hopefully longer than your presidential race will last."
Berg said at a news conference afterward that if Cruz and other politicians against the sugar program get their way, it will put American sugar companies out of business in favor of exports from Brazil, where he said growers receive $2 billion from their government to grow sugar cane.
"Sen. Cruz says he doesn't like crony capitalism, but how does he feel about subsidized socialism?" Berg asked. "Because that is what is going to happen."
Catherine Frazier, a spokeswoman for the Cruz campaign, did not respond to an email seeking comment. Her cellphone wasn't accepting voicemail.
Read more here: http://www.sunherald.com/news/business/article47774695.html#storylink=cpy
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Distinction without a difference, sugar-butt.
Cruz has also opposed sugar subsidies.
These Big Ag trough-sloppers are 100 times worse than every welfare baby-mamma combined.
NO FEDERAL GOVERNMENT SUBSIDIES. None. Period. Not for oil, not for solar, not for Big Ag. Shut off the teat. Let the market work.
At least the welfare baby mamma combo doesn’t actively compete for market share.
The right way to look at this is that the Brazillian government is choosing to spend $2 billion of their taxpayers money in order to make sugar cheaper for Americans. As long as they are stupid enough to do it we ought to take advantage.
People don't realize that the economic effect on that totality of sugar buyers is going to be larger than the effect on a few local sugar producers.
Heh!
This Berg clown needs to go after ADM and High Fructose Corn Syrup if he wants to compete.
Subsidies benefit everyone BUT the consumer and taxpayer who it just so happens, are one in the same.
You’re going to make me look un-cool but what the heck is that, Vet?
Cruz blowing up the crony money wagon of agri-business.
I think that was sorta the point here...
wouldn’t eliminating cost ineffective sugar beets be a boon for texas cane sugar?
I’m with you: if sugar can’t be grown economically in this country, where damn near everything ELSE can be produced at a profit, they ought not to grow it.
And we dang sure ought not to be making something more expensive for millions of consumers while lining the pockets of a few fat cats in South Florida and south Louisiana.
I’m with you: if sugar can’t be grown economically in this country, where damn near everything ELSE can be produced at a profit, they ought not to grow it.
And we dang sure ought not to be making something more expensive for millions of consumers while lining the pockets of a few fat cats in South Florida and south Louisiana.
The WSJ has reported that the retail price of sugar in the U.S. is $.56, while in Brasil it is $.35 and in India, $.28.
RETAIL price, mind you.
How about give them a “subsidy” in the way of tax cuts? Tax business at 10 to 15% and no extensive write-offs. Keep ALL sorts of business in the U.S. and probably attract a bunch back in.
Beet Sugar tends to taste like beets. Pure Cane Sugar is the way to go, Castros be darned.
“We will defend the sugar program for a long, long time,”
Of course you will. No one likes to lose their sugar tit.
But the rest of us are tired of paying for your happiness.
Are sugar beets any less cost-effective than cane?
If so, why is beet sugar so much less than cane sugar in the grocery store - surely not because of a subsidy that on a per-pound basis is the same for both?
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