The Sidney herald., 1956-02-16
Sugar Beet
Industry Gets
Boost By Senate

OellNSl, SOlo. Inc DeeI sugar
industry in the Rocky Mountain
area got a healthy pat on the
back from the United States sem
ate Wednesday by the passage
of legislation intended to restore
to domestic producers the right
to help supply future growth of
the nations sugar needs.
Party lines were forgotten as
the senators overwhelmingly ap-
proved the amendments on a
voice vote. Senate observers
singled out the Rocky Mountain
senators - three of them in par
ticular - for bringing about the
victory for the domestic sugar
producers.
Debate on the proposal was
opened Tuesday by the reading
OF a strong message of support,
sent to the floor of the senate by
Senator Eugene d. Millikin, of
Colorado. who Is ill.
Senator Gordon Allott, also of
Colorado. was one of the most
active leaders of support elements
on the floor. Allott presided in
the senate during much of the
debate and won praise from
hackers of the bill for his ability
in summing up the case for the
domestic industry.
Senator Frank A. Barrett of
Wyoming also received a major
share of credit for the bills pas
sage as the result of his contin-
uous activity in support of do
mestic beet sugar producers.
Support for the bill also came
from Senators Joseph c. O,Ma-
honey of Wyoming; James E.
Murray and Mike Mansfield of
Montana, and Dennis Chavez and
Clinton P. Anderson of New
Mexico.
The changes in the sugar act
will free the domestic industry
from a rigid marketing quota
system, in effect since 1948,
which had led to widespread
acreage reductions.
In Colorado, the cut-banks re-
suited in a loss of 10000 acres in
1855 (13 per cent of the total
farmland planted to sugar beets)
from 1929 acres in 1854 to
130,715 acres last year.
Enforced acreage reductions al
so have hit beet growers in a
score of other states. Wyoming.
for example, was cut IS per cent
from 39,707 acres in 1854 to
34,645 acres last year. Montana
was cut 5000 acres from 55.846
in 1854 to 50,980 in 1855. These
reductions were in addition to
those previously imposed.
Though industry leaders de-
scribed the Senate decision as an
important step toward restoring
to domestic producers 'tthe right
to grow with their nation" fur
Their legislative action is necessar-
ry before the amendments 90 to
the President for his signature.
Next on the agenda will be a
between a Senate del
egation and a group from the
House of Representatives, which
last summer passed amendments
differing somewhat from those
adopted by the Senate. No date
was set Immediately for this con-
ference.
The compromise legislation
worked out at this conference
will be returned to the two leg
islative bodies for final action.
From the viewpoint of area
farmers, the chief difference be-
tween the Senate and House YER
sions lay in provisions relating
to sharing of future growth in
sugar consumption arising from
increasing u. S. population.
Under the Senate bill, domestic
producing areas comprising
western sugar beet states, and
the cane sugar industry of south
ern states, Hawaii, Puerto Rico
and the Virgin Islands - would
SIS per cent of such
growth.
The House bill would give do
nestle producers the right to
only so per cent of such
increases, r~eserving the remain
ing so per cent to foreign sup
pliers, which under the present
law have a monopoly on all
growth in consumption.
Whatever the final decision
relative to domestic producers, no
supplier would suffer any
of its present quota.