To a relatively small group of growers. When you're getting that kind of money, you can work hard to preserve it. What they're doing is protecting money, protecting wealth, protecting high incomes. An examination of the sugar industry's campaign contributions since 1979 reveals a careful pattern of strategic giving. Members of the congressional agriculture committees, which oversee the federal sugar program, enjoy more support from sugar industry contributions than other members of Congress.
Sugar money knows no home-state loyalty.
Sugar PACs make sure that the sugar program becomes a concern of lawmakers who have no sugar growers in their districts. Eighty-one percent of the Southern Minnesota Sugar Coop's contributions have gone outside Minnesota. And 90 percent of the Florida Sugar Cane League's contributions have gone to members outside Florida. Looking only at sugar PACs tells only part of the sugar money story. Often sugar-company executives also give contributions to members.