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Update:<br />
Washington by<br />
6 Fall 2010 MICHIGAN SUGAR COMPANY<br />
Ray VanDriessche, Director of Community and Government Relations<br />
<strong>Michigan</strong> <strong>Sugar</strong> <strong>Company</strong> Hosts<br />
ASGA Summer Board Meeting<br />
On July 11-13, 2010, <strong>Michigan</strong> <strong>Sugar</strong> <strong>Company</strong> hosted the 2010 American <strong>Sugar</strong>beet Growers Association<br />
(ASGA) Board of Directors’ summer meeting held at the Doubletree Hotel in Bay City. The ASGA, with<br />
offices located in Washington, D.C., is the organization representing U.S. sugarbeet growers on matters<br />
of international trade and USDA farm bill provisions that affect the U.S. beet sugar industry. The ASGA<br />
consists of a Board of Directors with representatives from each sugarbeet cooperative and the D.C. staff<br />
is headed by its Executive Vice President, Luther Markwart.<br />
In two full days of meetings, the Board reviewed and discussed:<br />
Dietary Guidelines<br />
The government’s recommended dietary guidelines,<br />
in relation to the obesity issue, are “encouraging<br />
restaurants and the food industry to offer healthpromoting<br />
foods that are low in sodium, limited<br />
in added sugars, refined grains, fats, and served<br />
in smaller portions.” The sugar industry is send-<br />
ing the message that no authoritative scientific<br />
body has ever found a public health need to<br />
set an upper level for sugar intake. This was just<br />
reaffirmed by the European Food Safety Authority<br />
in March 2010.<br />
Sweetener Tax?<br />
A “sweetener tax” has already been passed in the<br />
states of Washington and Colorado and other<br />
states are considering a similar tax. Unfortunately,<br />
in many states, this tax is being considered as a way<br />
to boost revenues in sagging state budgets. The<br />
sugar industry, along with the beverage industry,<br />
is working hard to discourage any further spread<br />
of sweetener taxes.<br />
Crop Insurance<br />
Industry officials are working with the USDA Risk<br />
Management Agency (RMA) to update coverage<br />
for replant of sugarbeets. The industry believes<br />
that, due to the considerably higher cost of new<br />
technology in sugarbeet seed production, current<br />
coverage levels do not reflect current costs of<br />
replanting sugarbeets and, therefore, replant<br />
coverage levels should be increased. A revenue<br />
insurance pilot program for sugarbeets is also<br />
being developed and hopefully details will be<br />
worked out in time for a 2011 rollout.<br />
Roundup Ready Beet Seed Production<br />
The sugarbeet industry continues to watch court<br />
proceedings closely as a result of a U.S. District<br />
Court ruling requiring the USDA to complete an<br />
environmental impact statement for Roundup<br />
Ready sugarbeets.<br />
Farm Bill Hearings<br />
Farm bill hearings are already taking place across the<br />
U.S. and ASGA President, Russ Mauch, testified that<br />
“Current sugar policy has maintained a balanced<br />
market, helped sustain fair prices, and has done it all<br />
without costing taxpayers a dime.” The industry’s<br />
opinion is that current sugar provisions are working<br />
well for consumers and the sugar industry alike.<br />
As the old saying goes, “If it ain’t broke don’t fix it.”<br />
Hosting growers from all over the United States<br />
gave <strong>Michigan</strong> <strong>Sugar</strong> <strong>Company</strong> the chance to<br />
show why many consider our region to be one<br />
of the most productive agricultural regions in<br />
the state, as well as the nation. Syngenta Seeds<br />
and <strong>Michigan</strong> <strong>Sugar</strong> <strong>Company</strong> sponsored a<br />
dinner cruise on the Princess Wenonah down<br />
the Saginaw River and out into the Saginaw Bay.<br />
A bus tour of the growing area was organized<br />
by <strong>Michigan</strong> <strong>Sugar</strong> and co-sponsored by Beta<br />
Seed and ACH Seeds. The tour included a stop at<br />
Laracha Farms to experience a pickle harvest, a tour<br />
of Star of the West Milling Co., in Frankenmuth,<br />
and a visit to the new Saginaw Valley Research<br />
Extension Farm where lunch was provided. After<br />
enjoying a great lunch, the tour headed to Atwater<br />
Farms in Ubly to view a display of specialized beet<br />
equipment that many growers from outside of<br />
our area had never seen. The equipment display<br />
included the European-built, self-propelled ROPA<br />
beet harvester, a custom-built, 60-ton cleaning cart,<br />
and the large transfer trucks that are unique to<br />
<strong>Michigan</strong>. The tour also included a stop at a wind<br />
turbine farm and the Zwimmer dairy operation<br />
which uses pressed pulp in their feed ration for<br />
their dairy cows.<br />
As evidenced in the August 3 primary elections, your<br />
vote has a tremendous impact on who will be representing<br />
your interests in the future. Be sure to get<br />
out and vote in the November general elections! n
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