In Texas, sugar farmers help drive our economy. The family farmers who grow sugarcane in South Texas and the workers who mill the cane support 2,368 jobs, contributing $218 million annually to the state’s economy. Sugarcane farmers and the sugar industry provide a reliable and affordable supply of sugar that is delivered just in time for use.
Our team at the Agricultural and FoodPolicyCenter at TexasA&MUniversity has spent the past several months analyzing the sugar industry in Texas and across the United States. We found that America’s sugar-farming families and workers are an essential part of our economy and our food supply chain. Sugar production and sale in the United States supports more than 150,000 jobs and contributes more than $23 billion annually to the U.S. economy.
But the importance of sugar production and sales is felt at more than the national or state levels. Our modeling approach takes a look at how sugar family farmers grow sugarcane and sugarbeets, how the mills and processing facilities turn that feedstock into table sugar, and how that economic activity is interlinked upstream and downstream to other sectors of the economy.
For example, the rural town of Santa Rosa is home to the Rio Grande Valley Sugar Growers Inc., a member-owned cooperative composed of family farmers who grow sugarcane across more than 40,000 acres of rich South Texas farmland.
RGVSG is a fixture in the region, supporting family farms, providing good jobs, contributing to the community and, importantly, milling the raw sugar that helps keep us all fed. An average harvest results in more than 1.4 million tons of sugarcane passing through the mill, producing nearly 140,000 tons of raw sugar, which is then transported to Louisiana for refining via the Port of Harlingen.
When asked about the importance of sugarcane to the area, Jacob Sosebee of Nutrien Ag Solutions said, “The economic impact is exhaustive.” He credited RSVSG with providing a substantial stream of revenue that helps him in turn support his employees.
And as farming is becoming increasingly difficult due to headwinds from rising input costs, inflation, foreign competitors and other challenges, agricultural and food enterprises will come under more pressure to remain economically viable, putting at risk more than American farms, but also jobs and sales in many interrelated industries across the country.
Dr. Joe Outlaw
and Dr. Bart Fischer
Co-directors
Agricultural and FoodPolicyCenter
Texas A&M University
College Station
History
praised
Mr. Jack Ayoub’s magnificent July 3 letter again demonstrates to us much needed historical reminders of great patriotic efforts in American history, such as that of Pedro (Peter) Francisco, great hero from Virginia, in the American Colonial Army. May Mr. Ayoub’s historic contribution treasures long continue. Thank you.
Imelda Coronado
Mission
Why do schools
feed children?
Ernest Gorena laments, in your July 4 edition, that “states that attempt to legislate against federal gender identity” will lose federal funding for their school breakfast, lunch and supper.
When did parents stop feeding breakfast and supper to their own children? That is hardly a function of public education.
Debra Bolin
Mission
