Sugar cane production in Louisiana is thriving, yet producers emphasize the necessity of a new farm bill

Despite facing a severe drought, the 2023 harvest in the state yielded over 1.8 million tons of sugar. The acres of sugar cane harvested and the sugar yield per acre have both been on the rise due to the cultivation of more sugar-intense varieties.

This trend isn't exclusive to Louisiana. While the Food and Agriculture Organization predicts a global 2% decrease in sugar production from 2022-23 due to drier conditions, the U.S. is breaking records. The USDA forecasts a record-high total domestic sugar production of 9.39 million tons for 2023-24, with almost 4 million tons from sugar cane and the remainder from sugar beets.

Despite these achievements, producers express concerns about rising costs and advocate for a new farm bill with a more robust safety net. At the American Sugar Cane League's annual meeting in Baton Rouge, Dr. Robert Johansson, the director of economics and policy analysis at the Washington-based American Sugar Alliance, addressed sugar cane prices and outlined the league's expectations for a new farm bill.