Farm bill is sweet to beet farmers, sugar industry

Minnesota’s sugar industry got a sweet treat from Congress. The new farm bill passed last week guarantees minimum pricing through 2011 and mandates that the government must purchase surplus sugar and sell it to ethanol producers. The legislation comes in response to a provision in the North American Free Trade Agreement that would have allowed for the unlimited export of Mexican sugar into the United States beginning this year.

Sen. Norm Coleman, R-Minn., called the legislation a “tremendous victory for Minnesota.” President Bush has threatened to veto the bill, but support of the legislation is strong enough to override any such action.

So far this election cycle the sugar industry has donated $2.5 million to congressional candidates with some of the top beneficiaries being in the Minnesota delegation. The chairman of the Agriculture Committee and sponsor of the farm bill, Rep. Colin Peterson, D-Minn., has received $28,900 in contributions from the sugar industry. Freshman Rep. Tim Walz, D-Minn., accepted $19,000. Coleman has received $15,877, the eighth most in the Senate.