Sugar Reform Act of 2015

Summary: Sugar Reform Act of 2015  This bill revises the Department of Agriculture (USDA) sugar program to decrease price support levels and make other modifications.  The bill amends the Federal Agriculture Improvement and Reform Act of 1996 to decrease the rate for price support loans to processors of domestically grown sugarcane and sugar beets. The loan rate is the price level at which processors can take out loans.  The bill amends the Agricultural Adjustment Act of 1938 to require USDA to set the marketing allotments at a level appropriate to maintain adequate domestic supplies at reasonable prices. The allotments limit the amount of sugar that each processor may sell. The allotments may be suspended or modified based on: (1) the interests of consumers, workers, businesses, and agricultural producers; and (2) the relative competitiveness of domestically produced and imported foods containing sugar.  In setting import quotas necessary to comply with trade agreements, USDA must:   set the quotas at no less than the minimum level necessary for compliance,  adjust the quotas to provide adequate domestic supplies at reasonable prices, establish and adjust quotas so that the ratio of sugar stocks to total sugar use at the end of the year will be approximately 15.5% or the target necessary to prevent unreasonably high prices or forfeitures, and  permit the temporary transfer of quotas between countries.   The bill amends the Farm Security and Rural Investment Act of 2002 to repeal the Feedstock Flexibility Program for Bioenergy Producers, which requires USDA to purchase sugar from domestic processors and sell it to bioenergy producers for biofuel production. 

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Sugar Reform Act of 2015''.

SEC. 2. SUGAR PROGRAM.

    (a) Sugarcane.--Section 156(a) of the Federal Agriculture 
Improvement and Reform Act of 1996 (7 U.S.C. 7272(a)) is amended--
            (1) in paragraph (3), by striking ``and'' after the 
        semicolon at the end;
            (2) in paragraph (4)--
                    (A) by striking ``2018'' and inserting ``2014''; 
                and
                    (B) by striking the period at the end and inserting 
                ``; and''; and
            (3) by adding at the end the following:
            ``(6) 18 cents per pound for raw cane sugar for each of the 
        2015 through 2018 crop years.''.
    (b) Sugar Beets.--Section 156(b)(2) of the Federal Agriculture 
Improvement and Reform Act of 1996 (7 U.S.C. 7272(b)(2)) is amended by 
striking ``2009'' and inserting ``2015''.
    (c) Effective Period.--Section 156(i) of the Federal Agriculture 
Improvement and Reform Act of 1996 (7 U.S.C. 7272(i)) is amended by 
striking ``2008'' and inserting ``2015''.

SEC. 3. FLEXIBLE MARKETING ALLOTMENTS FOR SUGAR.

    (a) In General.--Section 359b of the Agricultural Adjustment Act of 
1938 (7 U.S.C. 1359bb) is amended--
            (1) in subsection (a)(1)--
                    (A) in the matter before subparagraph (A), by 
                striking ``2008'' and inserting ``2017''; and
                    (B) in subparagraph (B), by inserting ``at 
                reasonable prices'' after ``stocks''; and
            (2) in subsection (b)(1)--
                    (A) in subparagraph (A), by striking ``but'' after 
                the semicolon at the end and inserting ``and''; and
                    (B) by striking subparagraph (B) and inserting the 
                following:
                    ``(B) appropriate to maintain adequate domestic 
                supplies at reasonable prices, taking into account all 
                sources of domestic supply, including imports.''.
    (b) Establishment of Flexible Marketing Allotments.--Section 359c 
of the Agricultural Adjustment Act of 1938 (7 U.S.C. 1359cc) is 
amended--
            (1) in subsection (b)--
                    (A) in paragraph (1)--
                            (i) in subparagraph (A), by striking 
                        ``but'' after the semicolon at the end and 
                        inserting ``and''; and
                            (ii) by striking subparagraph (B) and 
                        inserting the following:
                    ``(B) appropriate to maintain adequate supplies at 
                reasonable prices, taking into account all sources of 
                domestic supply, including imports.''; and
                    (B) in paragraph (2)(B), by inserting ``at 
                reasonable prices'' after ``market''; and
            (2) in subsection (g)(1)--
                    (A) by striking ``Adjustments.--'' and all that 
                follows through ``Subject to subparagraph (B), the'' 
                and inserting ``Adjustments.--The''; and
                    (B) by striking subparagraph (B).
    (c) Suspension or Modification of Provisions.--Section 359j of the 
Agricultural Adjustment Act of 1938 (7 U.S.C. 1359jj) is amended by 
adding at the end the following:
    ``(c) Suspension or Modification of Provisions.--Notwithstanding 
any other provision of this part, the Secretary may suspend or modify, 
in whole or in part, the application of any provision of this part if 
the Secretary determines that the action is appropriate, taking into 
account--
            ``(1) the interests of consumers, workers in the food 
        industry, businesses (including small businesses), and 
        agricultural producers; and
            ``(2) the relative competitiveness of domestically produced 
        and imported foods containing sugar.''.
    (d) Administration of Tariff Rate Quotas.--Section 359k of the 
Agricultural Adjustment Act of 1938 (7 U.S.C. 1359kk) is amended to 
read as follows:

``SEC. 359K. ADMINISTRATION OF TARIFF RATE QUOTAS.

    ``(a) Establishment.--Notwithstanding any other provision of law, 
at the beginning of the quota year, the Secretary shall establish the 
tariff-rate quotas for raw cane sugar and refined sugar at no less than 
the minimum level necessary to comply with obligations under 
international trade agreements that have been approved by Congress.
    ``(b) Adjustment.--
            ``(1) In general.--Subject to subsection (a), the Secretary 
        shall adjust the tariff-rate quotas for raw cane sugar and 
        refined sugar to provide adequate supplies of sugar at 
        reasonable prices in the domestic market.
            ``(2) Ending stocks.--Subject to paragraphs (1) and (3), 
        the Secretary shall establish and adjust tariff-rate quotas in 
        such a manner that the ratio of sugar stocks to total sugar use 
        at the end of the quota year will be approximately 15.5 
        percent.
            ``(3) Maintenance of reasonable prices and avoidance of 
        forfeitures.--
                    ``(A) In general.--The Secretary may establish a 
                different target for the ratio of ending stocks to 
                total use if, in the judgment of the Secretary, the 
                different target is necessary to prevent--
                            ``(i) unreasonably high prices; or
                            ``(ii) forfeitures of sugar pledged as 
                        collateral for a loan under section 156 of the 
                        Federal Agriculture Improvement and Reform Act 
                        of 1996 (7 U.S.C. 7272).
                    ``(B) Announcement.--The Secretary shall publicly 
                announce any establishment of a target under this 
                paragraph.
            ``(4) Considerations.--In establishing tariff-rate quotas 
        under subsection (a) and making adjustments under this 
        subsection, the Secretary shall consider the impact of the 
        quotas on consumers, workers, businesses (including small 
        businesses), and agricultural producers.
    ``(c) Temporary Transfer of Quotas.--
            ``(1) In general.--To promote full use of the tariff-rate 
        quotas for raw cane sugar and refined sugar, notwithstanding 
        any other provision of law, the Secretary shall promulgate 
        regulations that provide that any country that has been 
        allocated a share of the quotas may temporarily transfer all or 
        part of the share to any other country that has also been 
        allocated a share of the quotas.
            ``(2) Transfers voluntary.--Any transfer under this 
        subsection shall be valid only on voluntary agreement between 
        the transferor and the transferee, consistent with procedures 
        established by the Secretary.
            ``(3) Transfers temporary.--
                    ``(A) In general.--Any transfer under this 
                subsection shall be valid only for the duration of the 
                quota year during which the transfer is made.
                    ``(B) Following quota year.--No transfer under this 
                subsection shall affect the share of the quota 
                allocated to the transferor or transferee for the 
                following quota year.''.
    (e) Effective Period.--Section 359l(a) of the Agricultural 
Adjustment Act of 1938 (7 U.S.C. 1359ll(a)) is amended by striking 
``2008'' and inserting ``2015''.

SEC. 4. REPEAL OF FEEDSTOCK FLEXIBILITY PROGRAM FOR BIOENERGY 
              PRODUCERS.

    (a) In General.--Section 9010 of the Farm Security and Rural 
Investment Act of 2002 (7 U.S.C. 8110) is repealed.
    (b) Conforming Amendments.--
            (1) Section 359a(3)(B) of the Agricultural Adjustment Act 
        of 1938 (7 U.S.C. 1359aa(3)(B)) is amended--
                    (A) in clause (i), by inserting ``and'' after the 
                semicolon at the end;
                    (B) in clause (ii), by striking ``; and'' at the 
                end and inserting a period; and
                    (C) by striking clause (iii).
            (2) Section 359b(c)(2)(C) of the Agricultural Adjustment 
        Act of 1938 (7 U.S.C. 1359bb(c)(2)(C)) is amended by striking 
        ``, except for'' and all that follows through ``of 2002''.