The University of Missouri Food and Agricultural Policy Research Institute recently released its 2024 Outlook for U.S. Agriculture (.pdf). They project that American sugar production remains strong and expect production to grow despite challenges seen over the past couple of years. Those challenges include factory closures in Montana and Texas.
“Despite the new and existing challenges, the forecast is bright for American sugar production as long as the farmers’ safety net is strengthened,” says Dr. Rob Johansson, director of economics and policy analysis at the American Sugar Alliance.
Most of America’s sugar beet growers are planting their crops, while California’s growers have started their harvest. Sugarcane producers in southern states are finishing their harvest. USDA is forecasting a near-record production of 9.2 million tons of sugar in the U.S. this year, meeting about 74 percent of U.S. demand with domestically produced supplies. That would make America the fifth-largest sugar producer in the world.
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Sabrina Halvorson
National Correspondent / AgNet Media, Inc.
Sabrina Halvorson is an award-winning journalist, broadcaster, and public speaker who specializes in agriculture. She primarily reports on legislative issues and hosts The AgNet Weekly podcast. Sabrina is a native of California’s agriculture-rich Central Valley.