Johansson: Foreign Subsidies Hurt U.S. Growers

Rob Johansson, director of economics and policy analysis, American Sugar Alliance, spoke about shifting policies and economic uncertainty at the USDA Ag Outlook Forum. “There’s a lot of potential policies the administration is pursuing that will affect farm country, both good and potentially adverse.” Johansson stressed the impact of foreign subsidies on U.S. sugar producers, noting that countries like Brazil, India, and Thailand heavily support their industries, creating unfair competition. “Our farmers meet high environmental and labor standards, but when other countries subsidize, they can dump sugar at lower prices than we can afford to produce here.” While tariffs remain a divisive issue, Johansson emphasized the need for fair trade policies to protect American agriculture. Click here to listen to the full interview.