Title: Fair Sugar Policy Act of 2019
Policy area: Agriculture and Food

Summary:
Fair Sugar Policy Act of 2019
This bill makes several modifications to the Department of Agriculture's sugar program. Among other modifications, the bill decreases the rate for price support loans, repeals the marketing allotments, revises the administration of import quotas, and repeals the Feedstock Flexibility Program.

[Congressional Bills 116th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 2568 Introduced in Senate (IS)]

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116th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                S. 2568

      To reform the Federal sugar program, and for other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                           September 26, 2019

 Mrs. Shaheen (for herself, Mr. Toomey, Mr. Alexander, Mr. Casey, Ms. 
  Collins, Mr. Durbin, Mrs. Feinstein, Ms. Hassan, Mr. Menendez, Mr. 
Coons, Mr. Portman, Mr. Warner, Ms. Warren, Mr. Johnson, Mr. Kaine, and 
  Mr. Markey) introduced the following bill; which was read twice and 
   referred to the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
      To reform the Federal sugar program, and for other purposes.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Fair Sugar Policy Act of 2019''.

SEC. 2. SUGAR PROGRAM.

    Section 156(a) of the Federal Agriculture Improvement and Reform 
Act of 1996 (7 U.S.C. 7272(a)) is amended--
            (1) in paragraph (4), by striking ``and'' at the end; and
            (2) in paragraph (5), by striking ``each of the 2019 
        through 2023 crop years.'' and inserting the following: ``the 
        2019 crop year; and
            ``(6) 18.75 cents per pound for raw cane sugar for each of 
        the 2020 through 2024 crop years.''.

SEC. 3. FLEXIBLE MARKETING ALLOTMENTS FOR SUGAR REPEALED.

    Part VII of subtitle B of title III of the Agricultural Adjustment 
Act of 1938 (7 U.S.C. 1359aa et seq.) is amended to read as follows:

            ``PART VII--ADMINISTRATION OF TARIFF RATE QUOTAS

``SEC. 359A. TARIFF RATE QUOTAS.

    ``(a) In General.--At the beginning of each quota year, the 
Secretary shall establish the tariff-rate quotas for raw cane sugar and 
refined sugar at a level that is not less than the minimum level 
necessary to comply with obligations under international trade 
agreements that Congress has approved.
    ``(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 so 
        that the ratio of sugar stocks to total sugar use at the end of 
        each quota year shall be approximately 15.5 percent.
            ``(3) Maintenance of reasonable prices and avoidance of 
        forfeitures.--
                    ``(A) In general.--The Secretary may establish a 
                different target percentage for the ratio of ending 
                stocks to total use described in paragraph (2) if the 
                Secretary determines the different target percentage 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 an establishment of a target percentage 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 the full use of the tariff-
        rate quotas for raw cane sugar and refined sugar established or 
        adjusted under subsection (a) or (b), respectively, the 
        Secretary shall promulgate regulations that provide that a 
        country that has been allocated a share of the quotas may 
        temporarily transfer all or part of the share to another 
        country that has also been allocated a share of the quotas.
            ``(2) Transfers voluntary.--A 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.--A 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.''.

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

    Section 9010 of the Farm Security and Rural Investment Act of 2002 
(7 U.S.C. 8110) is repealed.
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