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Florida To Close Largest Sugar Co. to Restore Everglades

nytimes.com — In a deal that environmental groups said would be the largest ecological restoration in the country ’s history, a plan for the state to buy the nation’s largest producer of cane sugar was announced Tuesday by the governor and officials of U.S. Sugar Corp.

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  • jquipp, on 06/24/2008, -4/+22187,000 acres of land ... that's a lot of territory. This is being touted as the largest ecological restoration in the country ’s history ... WOW!
    • TheInformer, on 06/25/2008, -8/+13We should just close off the entire United States and expel all of the inhabitants. That's a for sure way to restore the ecosystems.

      Wonder if the environmental groups would be happy then?
      • Justice101, on 06/25/2008, -1/+1No. But this is still good news! Hopefully the everglades won't be destroyed by rising seas. : (
      • perkoff, on 06/25/2008, -1/+4Yeah! ***** the environment! All those scientists don't know *****! What's up with you anti-environmentalists? Don't give a ***** about no one but yourself? Hey the world won't be a giant piece of ***** til long after your dead so who cares right? More important things to do like bitch about people that care about the world. You ***** goof.
      • veijeri, on 06/25/2008, -1/+2I don't know if you realize how important the everglades are to the stability of south Florida's water system; we've ***** it up almost irreversibly, and this is a major help to both the eco system AND agriculture/infrastructure outside of those acres. It's possible to live on land and not ***** it up, those are not mutually exclusive.
    • sporg, on 06/25/2008, -3/+2I have been in this area and seen some of the land they are talking about. Don't get to excited it is just miles and miles and miles of dry lake bottom. The canal system which was built to make sure the area stays dry enough for farming is not something easily undone. The locals have known the refinery has been slowly shutting down for years. I guess US Sugar corp saw selling out to the government as the most profitable exit option. I'm sure some portion of the land will end up being privately held but who would want to live there? There is NOTHING there except for sugar cane as far as the eye can see and soon just weeds as far as the eye can see apparently.

      • sporg, on 06/25/2008, -1/+1You can bury me all you want there are miles of canal system that would need to be filled in to realize this dream of water flowing to the everglades from Lake Okeechobee. Also there are roads in the way which would have to be removed and I think you can imagine how much that will cost. Water is drawn from Lake Okeechobee to supply Florida cities drinking water and the demand continues to rise causing record low water levels in the lake. Where exactly where all this extra water to flow south come from?

        They say it will take them 16 years to begin any real work and the funding has not been allocated. This will end just like the other Everglades projects--->Big dreams and then a complete failure to get any funding to carry through.
      • sporg, on 06/27/2008, -0/+1Notice that the people who bury me don't attempt to reply or dispute what I'm saying. They cant because the facts are on my side. Oh I also forgot to mention that allowing water to flow over those areas that have been used for agriculture for decades will wash all the built up chemicals and fertilizers right into the everglades.

        http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/21918691/
        http://alanfarago.wordpress.com/2007/11/22/counter ...
        http://www.flmnh.ufl.edu/fish/southflorida/news/gl ...
        http://southeast.construction.com/features/archive ...
  • pmctosh, on 06/24/2008, -16/+19This looks like an awesome step forward, congratulations Florida.
    • mike17032, on 06/25/2008, -2/+4Wonder how many jobs this flushed down the *****.
    • PhantomBantam, on 06/25/2008, -1/+1Looks like a step backwards to me.
      The last thing Americans need is more corn syrup, especially as corn prices continue to rise.
  • babychen, on 06/24/2008, -3/+33I've read that this plant produces roughly half of the U.S.'s annual sugar production
    • Digger1123, on 06/25/2008, -21/+8You think that food is expensive now, just wait for the effects of this plants closing and prices will go up yet again. Thanks Democrats, lets also close half the farms, stop importing oil, and just power everything with solar and wind energy. This nation will go to hell in a handbasket if Obama becomes the president.
      • trickyt, on 06/25/2008, -2/+14Actually sugar is a lot cheaper overseas for import. Now all they have to do is knock out the tariffs and we can have cheaper sugar, the everglades, and some third world country farmers get to make a buck to boot.
      • winmywii, on 06/25/2008, -3/+13"This nation will go to hell in a handbasket if Obama becomes the president."

        You really think it is all that great now?
      • KloroFormd, on 06/25/2008, -2/+5It's not like anything uses good cane sugar these days anyways, it's all corn syrup.
        • dfeifer, on 06/25/2008, -1/+5Which is one of the major reasons why there is such a large obesity problem in the US.
      • RedViper1999, on 06/25/2008, -1/+2Because the Republicans are running things just swimmingly. Am I right?
      • paker, on 06/25/2008, -1/+1It's the Republicans that brokered this deal BEHIND CLOSED DOORS!
    • zumpiez, on 06/25/2008, -2/+32Who needs sugar when we have HIGH FRUCTOSE CORN SYRUP
      • dfeifer, on 06/25/2008, -1/+18More High Fructose Corn Syrup please..
      • fasda, on 06/25/2008, -2/+6come on its only one D-glucose molecule different from sucrose your acting like it breaks down into methanol when digested.
      • Rickler, on 06/25/2008, -2/+15Yeah really, I read it as this:

        In a deal that environmental groups, funded by the corn industry, said would be the largest ecological restoration in the country ’s history, a plan for the state to buy the nation’s largest producer of cane sugar was announced Tuesday by the governor and officials of U.S. Sugar Corp who were paid handsomely by the state of Florida because of pressure from the corn industry.
      • bjornski, on 06/25/2008, -0/+16I hate HFCS.

        Give me real sugar any day.
    • BaronSamedi242, on 06/25/2008, -6/+1Just in time too! Just as were figuring out how to make gasoline out of sugar.

      Nice going Jeb, now your friends Mohammad and Sayeed out in Saudi Arabia will continue to bleed us dry.

      MISSION ACCOMPLISHED
      • paker, on 06/25/2008, -0/+2Jeb's been out of office for over a year.
    • veijeri, on 06/25/2008, -0/+3We could just trade with Cuba instead.
      • bosssmiley, on 06/25/2008, -1/+1But thur ZOMGCOMMUNISTS!!!

        On the article: sounds like excellent work by the fructose corn syrup lobby there. Let's turn the growing area of our rival cash crop into yet more Floridian malarial swampland.
      • dfeifer, on 07/03/2008, -0/+0always strikes me as odd that if cuba was so bad that we are actively embargoing the place, how do we manage to keep a military installation there.
    • sporg, on 06/25/2008, -0/+1It does produce quite a bit of our sugar but I don't think its anywhere near half. I think the constant water shortages are what has been causing hard times for US Sugar. Lake Okeechobee is dry in a lot of places and some of it has muck fires burning in it that have been going for months.

      http://www.news-press.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AI ...
  • tkinder, on 06/24/2008, -6/+37The quote below from this article tells you almost everything you need to know:

    Environmental groups hailed the undertaking. “This is putting it back the way it was in 1890,” said David Guest, a lawyer with Earthjustice Legal Defense Fund. “When you come back in 20 years, it will look indistinguishable from the way it looked before the white man.”

    • redxninja, on 06/25/2008, -3/+17damn white people ***** up everything.
    • buddypriefert, on 06/25/2008, -10/+6Before the white man or before simple "progress" and "industrialization"? Why stop there, heck let's roll back the whole damn planet to the stone age. Will that make the groups happy? Or do they cherry pick and keep their air conditioning, cell phones and satellite dish?
      • nodong, on 06/25/2008, -1/+7Look at Google maps and all the land southwest of lake Okeechobee. Water used to flow over that entire area to the sea. Now it doesn't. Everything has been dying out down there because the ecosystem has been crushed. Florida's economy thrives primarily on tourism and people who love nature. The loss of sugar profits (which are hugely subsidized by our government to everybody's detriment) only will affect a couple of billionaires (yes, billionaires) who own almost all the sugar production in this country. The continued profits from tourism dwarf any miniscule price increase in sugar.
        • buddypriefert, on 06/25/2008, -0/+4Hmm. I did as you mentioned. Good point. You may be right. I still take issue with the "blame white people" crap - as if it is race specific and not progress specific or a human thing.
        • bosssmiley, on 06/25/2008, -1/+1Disneyworld & Busch Gardens are bigger tourist attractions than the Everglades.
      • fuzzybeard, on 06/25/2008, -1/+3Someone piss in your coffee this morning?
    • raytibbitts, on 06/25/2008, -3/+9You know all that money you're not saving on gas right now?
      Yeah, everything you eat that has sugar in it is about to 'do a crude oil.'
      Before the 'white man' refined sugar was a luxury item, think about it.
      • trickyt, on 06/25/2008, -2/+4Fortunately nothing we eat has real sugar in it...
        • raytibbitts, on 06/25/2008, -3/+3Good for you guys. Try baking something yourself for a change there twinkie.
          Oh yeah, anything that can serve as a substitute for sugar will increase in price, too.
          Supply and demand's a bitch.
          It's already bad enough that the govt. subsidizes U.S. producers of sugar, causing its citizens to pay way too much for sugar as it is.
      • Schda, on 06/25/2008, -0/+1Well you still have all your sugar beet growers. They do produce a large amount of sugar.
    • spoonchucks, on 06/25/2008, -0/+2Dude, why "before the white man"? "BEFORE MAN", *****!

      <-- not white
  • rrlaw, on 06/24/2008, -12/+6I think this is very good news, just wish it's happening sooner. The company will keep farming and processing sugar for another six years before closing down. Well, I suppose late is always better than never.
  • SQLDigger, on 06/25/2008, -25/+24Wheeee! Let's pay $1,700,000,000 to take away the livelihoods of 1700 people! We love our sugar workers so much, we'll pay $1,000,000 a head to put each of `em out of work!

    What happened to you, Florida? You used to be cool . . .
    • greenlight2001, on 06/25/2008, -2/+33It's a employee owned company (as in they own a lot of shares each). They'll all come out with some crazy cash.
      • largelion, on 06/25/2008, -2/+5There are more employees than stated there and most of them work in the mills. They do hard drugs to stay up for days at a time just to get extra cash for overtime. Their lives are ***** and now they will all be unemployed and will not get enough money to even live on.
        • greenlight2001, on 06/25/2008, -3/+2We'll, now they can go find better job I guess.
        • bjornski, on 06/25/2008, -0/+3@greenlight2001

          To where?

          Another company which will be closed down so we can import instead?
    • xrisnothing, on 06/25/2008, -3/+6When was Florida ever cool?
      • Bith8654, on 06/25/2008, -0/+2Before all the old people and opiates came?
    • DigiRaven, on 06/25/2008, -1/+1Ok how do you become so ignorant? 1700 vs the million that live in the state of Florida? The everglades is what is needed to replenish and clean the water before going into the aquifer. The state of Florida needs that clean water live off. Plus saving the everglades also saves the Florida coral reef as for the past decades run off water with toxins have killed much of the reef. This is a big step in creating a secured future of clean water for many generations to come. Please don't be ignorant on this move. 1700 people jobs vs the survival of Florida's future I choose Florida. The 1700 people can find other jobs.
  • mexicanpower, on 06/25/2008, -8/+1surprised california didn't do the same
    • MattNF, on 06/25/2008, -2/+7Right, because the Everglades are located in California as well...
  • DaDrake, on 06/25/2008, -8/+35I am just thankful I am not a FL tax payer.
    • twist, on 06/25/2008, -0/+22Florida doesn't have an income tax. I am very thankful to be a FL taxpayer.
    • marillion, on 06/25/2008, -0/+4When I heard this on the radio, two things stood out. 1) It was not a publicly traded company. They can do what they like. 2) All the money that Florida is spending on this deal is coming from a fund that can only be used for Everglades restoration.

      I only hope that politicians a generation down the line don't just turn around and sell that land to a "real estate developer."
    • nascentia, on 06/25/2008, -1/+4Why? We don't pay much in taxes. There's no state income tax, sales taxes are lower here than they are in NY (my former home state.) The biggest tax, I believe, is capital gains.

      You can tell we don't pay a ton in taxes - the state is broke and we can't even afford to keep our schools open 5 days a week anymore. That's one of the wonderful things about this whole mess.

      That, and I'm pretty sure a lot of south FL depends on Okeechobee for their drinking water. If so much is going to be diverted into the Everglades...well, we're having water shortages already and fretting over how to finance desalinization plants. I think we all know where this will lead.
  • kenvsryu, on 06/25/2008, -2/+22I guess splenda requires less land.
  • Xihix, on 06/25/2008, -4/+25NOOOO NOT THE SUGAR
  • knifesideleft, on 06/25/2008, -1/+37Shouldn't we be moving for more sugar cane and less hfcs though?
    • lonelily, on 06/25/2008, -3/+18Completely. Have you ever had soda in another country? They always use real sugar which makes the cola taste better and with a less filmy after-texture.
      • trickyt, on 06/25/2008, -2/+7That's because sugar is cheap. It's only expensive here because of tariffs and HFCS subsidies. This is one step in the direction of putting more sugar in our products... if they knock out the tariffs that is.
        • buddypriefert, on 06/25/2008, -1/+9And one (of many) reasons why we have so many fat-asses in America (HFCS has been proven to cause more weight gain than sugar).
        • fasda, on 06/25/2008, -4/+3@buddy

          Do you know what the ratio of fructose to glucose is in sucrose (table sugar) is? 50/50 you know what it is in the high fructose corn syrup used in processed food is? 55/45 thats right High Fructose Corn Syrup is only 5% more fructose then regular sucrose. So if that small amount is the big part of everyone's weight gain then its probably in conjunction with people eating only processed food with portions of incredible size while not exercising. The reason it is called high fructose corn syrup is that regular corn syrup is only glucose.
        • bjornski, on 06/25/2008, -1/+5So removing a large source of non-tariffed sugar is a good way to get more sugar used instead of subsidized corn sweetener?

          *boggles*

          IF they knock out the tariffs. Yeah. ADM has lobbyists making sure that never, ever happens.
        • AngelBunny, on 06/25/2008, -0/+2@fasda: other countries have shown studies that for some people small parts of corn syrup stay in their body for possibly the rest of their life. This health issue is so series that other countries have considered banning corn syrup.
      • BlueSkyfish, on 06/25/2008, -0/+6They have a brand in America called Jone's that uses pure cane sugar. You might have to check a few stores though. I didn't even think they sold it in my area until I went to a Path-Mark one day.
        • Quicksilver4648, on 06/25/2008, -0/+3Some local stores in my area carry it. Never had it.
        • bjornski, on 06/25/2008, -0/+2@Quicksilver

          Get some. It's really good. LOTS of flavors to choose from, too.

          It's a bit pricey, so I don't get it often, but when I want a really yummy treat, I'll grab a pack.
        • schnikies79, on 06/25/2008, -0/+1Great soda! We have it all over the place here (southern indiana), at gas stations, grocery stores, some restaurants.

          Being that it is real sugar, I can't drink nearly as much. One bottle fills me up.
    • ToRoE, on 06/25/2008, -2/+3Only if you don't mind having no drinking water.
  • imelstevo, on 06/25/2008, -3/+11“It’s so exciting,” said Margaret McPherson, vice president of the Everglades Foundation. “I’m going to do cartwheels.”

    Dugg for cartwheels
  • dha07030, on 06/25/2008, -2/+30Will the price of sugar go up?
    • ChiefUCF, on 06/25/2008, -1/+8From part the Associated Press announcement (found on U.S. Sugar's website):

      Buker (CEO) said the company's decision to sell had nothing to do with profits, though the entire American sugar industry has struggled with stiff completion from cheap foreign imports.

      Draw your own conclusion...
    • Jacare, on 06/25/2008, -0/+1Many countries subsidize sugar production heavily. The European Union, the United States, Japan and many developing countries subsidize domestic production and maintain high tariffs on imports. Sugar prices in these countries have often exceeded prices on the international market by up to three times; today, with world market sugar futures prices currently strong, such prices typically exceed world prices by two times.

      so this is basically gonna make the price of domestic sugar go even higher... lol at the 3$ candy bar
    • AngelBunny, on 06/25/2008, -1/+1yes it will which will cause more corn syrup production which might cause the increase in price of corn syrup as well as sugar (slightly). and since more crops will be corn to make the syrup then it will aid to raising food prices and raising fuel prices. however, all of this slightly so much it probably will not be noticeable.
    • cslawren, on 06/25/2008, -0/+2If we let the imports from south american countries come in and move towards a free trade agreement in the sugar industry, they wont.
  • eraser34, on 06/25/2008, -4/+2Cant get enough of that sugar crisp
  • ryan899, on 06/25/2008, -4/+36Less sugar..more high fructose corn syrup...corn prices go up....meat and dairy go up...
  • barstegry, on 06/25/2008, -3/+5I'd like to think this is a happy and...er..sugar-coated story, but the cynical side of me thinks somehow the company will benefit and we will all foot the bill. Hope I am wrong.
  • nickymouse, on 06/25/2008, -15/+24Food prices will rise, job will be lost, and the US will begin to import more foreign products. It's a small price to pay to save some bird that give eco Nazi's a hard on. They don't really care how many lives they affect, they're rich.
    • tribecom, on 06/25/2008, -5/+11Stick to topics you know something about. This land reclamation isn't about birds, its about water and the south florida ecosystem, rebuilding wildlife habitation is just a fringe benefit.
    • buddypriefert, on 06/25/2008, -3/+4Yeah. We all know how bad "the rich" is. Go socialism!
    • DigiRaven, on 06/25/2008, -2/+2wow you are just as ignorant as some above. This isn't just saving some bird. Its a natural water filtration system that helps recover clean water for the whole state of Florida. The aquifer has suffered much the past few years because of the mass exodus of people moving to Florida.

      Did you know if you save the enviroment you save the future of mankind?
  • tpearl, on 06/25/2008, -7/+11Follow the paper trail and I can guarantee that it has nothing to do with the everglades and everything to do with money.

    Guaran ***** tee!!!!!!
  • wildkeith, on 06/25/2008, -4/+27Great, now the prices of sugar will rise and we'll get HFCS will be in everything that already doesn't have it. It's a good cause, but they couldn't they have relocated the company rather than buying it out and closing it down? How many jobs were lost?
  • D3koy, on 06/25/2008, -6/+3So are we giving it back to the natives too?
  • buddypriefert, on 06/25/2008, -3/+4Just when I thought we'd finally get our soda back without HFCS. Ah well, back to old Aspartamene.
  • Bannedx5, on 06/25/2008, -7/+10Excellent use of tax payer money. -tards.
  • KLowD9x, on 06/25/2008, -10/+14Not only is the US shipping the jobs away to other countries, now they're paying large sums of money to kill off the remaining employers of the American people!

    Soon there will be nothing.
    • cslawren, on 06/25/2008, -2/+2Maybe if you would advocate free trade and allow us to lead the world market in areas we can instead of areas we can't like cheap agriculture production, you wouldn't be so worried about that. The fact is, we are becoming less competitive because of the policies you are advocating and the damage they have caused since they were first initiated. We need to train these people to do tasks that America can be the leader in instead of areas we can't like sugar production. The fact that we even try to produce sugar is ridiculous to me. It drives up prices in our country, forcing up food prices, forcing us to use corn syrup rather than sugar in things as simple as Coke, which btw tastes excellent with real sugar IMO.
  • rillo561, on 06/25/2008, -8/+5Nice, just got laid off because of 'State budget cuts'. F'tards!
  • mecharabbit, on 06/25/2008, -4/+7Nobody wants to run into a gator on a sugar high. Dugg!
  • AmericanGunner, on 06/25/2008, -6/+2Ahh sugar, bum bum bum bum bum bummm, awww honey honey....
  • woodenbender, on 06/25/2008, -3/+9First you get the sugar, then you get the power, then you get the women
  • ridium, on 06/25/2008, -6/+10Fanatics for any cause do not think of the consequences.
  • chenley1, on 06/25/2008, -9/+1GDMFSOB conservatives.... at it again. Evil, plain old evil.
    • spoonchucks, on 06/25/2008, -0/+1Don't hold back, tell us how you feel.
  • dantenhickville, on 06/25/2008, -13/+11Why are taxpayers paying for this? Why don't the environmental organizations foot the bill? What about Al Gore he's got the money?This is why I consider myself an ecogeek not an environmentalist. Capitalism and eco-technology are our future. Socialism and stealing money from taxpayers to pay for land grabs will only lead us to financial ruin.
    • siszam, on 06/25/2008, -4/+7Tax payers directly benefit from taking care of the environment. If you kill everything and and neglect the environment then you die too. And it's obvious you have no idea what socialism is. You just threw the word out there like a stupid Republican who worships money over people. Read a book.
    • BossKey, on 06/25/2008, -0/+1You talk like this was nothing but an eco-washing. You're completely ignoring the need for drinking water, fire control, and other statewide benefits. The Everglades aren't just there to ride air boats through.
  • shyampoo, on 06/25/2008, -5/+8Only one that has been the the Everglades would realize how huge and big of deal this is.
    Hoorah for Florida!
  • PhunkyBob, on 06/25/2008, -3/+10From growing up in Florida I can tell you it has turned into such a cookie cutter dumphole that there are few states I try to avoid more than it.

    This is a solid step in the right direction to preserve (and restore) it's natural beauty. And coming from the FL Republicans I'm amazed... maybe there is some good in this world after all.
  • wmtrader, on 06/25/2008, -0/+11Cain sugar production has been a money loser ever since HFC took over the American sugar market.

    This company is getting a huge bail out from the Florida tax payers with the environmental benefit just being a side effect.

    Now if the State of Florida can do something to assist the 1,900 workers who will be hit hard by this bail out we would have a Win Win situation, and yes Florida has the ability to help them in a meaningful way.

    Yes in time the tourist traffic will provide a living for many workers but the people being affected by this State Buy Out will not be able to wait 5 to 20 years for the tourist to arrive.

    And I worry that the State of Florida will turn large partitions of this land into private estates with the usual man made lakes, golf courses, and security gates.....don’t put it past them to change the deal 5 years after everyone has bought off in it.
  • silentwinter, on 06/25/2008, -7/+8Here's an idea for the HFCS alarmists:

    EAT LESS SUGAR

    It's terrible for you anyway.
  • Comatose51, on 06/25/2008, -2/+10This has nothing to do with the environment. FL is bailing out a company. The price of sugar in this country is regulated. This is why HCFS took over. Sugar is a losing business. FL has a Republican governor. You think he cares about the environment? They're bailing out a money losing company. I bet you that if we don't buy the land now and just wait some years, the company will fold and we can buy the land up at a fraction of the cost. Might want to check the sugar companies' campaign donations.
    • gringodude01, on 06/25/2008, -0/+4So Republican = doesn't care about the environment? That's ridiculous. Anyway, we have been negotiating with US Sugar for years. Jeb Bush probably started this ball rolling.

      Also, now we don't have to pay for large transition mediation pools and pumping stations that essentially would have been constructed by the United States government as part of the Everglades recovery act of 2000, so we might end up saving money. Sometimes government just works and it should be celebrated.
    • bjornski, on 06/25/2008, -0/+1Might want to check the corn lobby donations, too.
  • ThatDustyGuy, on 06/25/2008, -3/+3Close the sugar plant and make way for more corn syrup!
  • andretii, on 06/25/2008, -3/+5And how is this supposed to help us exactly?
    • veijeri, on 06/25/2008, -1/+4So that a massive chunk of Florida's ecosystem doesn't die out and ***** us over.
  • FreeTalkLIve, on 06/25/2008, -2/+6I can tell the difference between sugar and HFC.

    I try my best to stay away from anything with corn syrup in it, but it almost impossible.

    That ***** is in almost every product in the supermarket.

    /This country keeps getting ***** every day.
  • jobney76, on 06/25/2008, -1/+1Sugar beet for the win.
    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sugar_beet
  • AngelBunny, on 06/25/2008, -1/+2this is bad, i hate the flavor of corn syrup. maybe it is my own personal greed speaking but this pisses me off. I like my sugar. Destroying half of the sugar production from this country only increases corn syrup which increases the cost of food and fuel. Seems like everything is for corn crops in the last couple of years. This will help the price of most food go up in this country.
  • Olfster, on 06/25/2008, -1/+3It basically assures that we will never grow sugar for ethanol such as the energy independent country of Brazil does. Ironic, I was talking to someone about this several months ago. I basically had the opinion that there is an underground movement to thwart ever utilizing sugar for ethanol production in the U.S. This announcement kinda proved my point. Now if I could remember who I was talking to.
  • inajiffy, on 06/25/2008, -1/+1Someday we'll find it-- the rainbow connection.
  • MaceSoul, on 06/25/2008, -0/+4But that sugar was supposed to go towards ethanol. Uh oh.
  • diskit, on 06/25/2008, -0/+4Great way to encourage the use of high fructose corn syrup.
    Is this a conspiracy theory yet?
  • DuffyDirect, on 06/25/2008, -0/+2which means there won't be sugar ethanol and a loaf of bread will cost ANOTHER 5 dollars now............. great.............
  • hercules71185, on 06/25/2008, -0/+3Coming from someone that is from Clewiston, FL.... where one of the biggest U.S. Sugar Corp. refineries is located... The closing of the company has positive and negative effects. First off, the air and water pollution from the plant is horrible there. Clewiston has what is called black snow, which is ashes from the burning cane in the air which gets all over cars and causes paint to deteriorate over time. You can also see all the air pollution from the smoke stacks from miles and miles outside of town. Then of course you have U.S. Sugar taking water out of Lake Okeechobee whenever they pleased for irrigation purposes. They also dumped wastes into the canals and lakes in the surrounding areas. I guess if the govnt did do this it would help the east coast because they are always complaining because Lake Okeechobee pollutes their water, which is true. So, it would help the economy if the government did something about the sugar plant's pollution and the way it was ran, but shutting it down would cause many more problems. It would cause american sugar shortage making us buy from other countries even more which isnt good because our economy is bad enough with all the other crap we have to buy over seas. Another thing people dont realize is that jobs around Lake Okeechobee are scarce enough even before this idea arose. The main jobs there are the sugar factories, teaching, law enforcement, and anything to do with Lake Okeechobee (fishing). Of course like 3/4 of people in the tiny towns around the lake are employed in some way by the sugar corp. whether it be directly or indirectly because even sub-contracting under the sugar company. Then like in Clewiston ... alot of the businesses that are irrelated were started by U.S. Sugar as well. Then you have the marinas and jobs related to the lake which are depleting at a very fast pace due to the fact that the lake has turned into a massive mud puddle. I do not see how the blocking off of the water from the east coast could help the lake levels though because without rain its not going to get any better. As far as restoring the everglades.... that whole project is ludacris. What would be the point of it? They say they want to restore it to its natural habitat but they continuously set it on fire on purpose? They remove certain trees that are natural because they supposedly "drink" too much water. Now the land is being covered by cudzo which requires more water than the malaluca trees and grows at a much faster rate. There is much more to be said about this topic but my comment is way too long already.
  • veijeri, on 06/25/2008, -0/+3FTA: "The impact on the Everglades could be substantial. The natural flow of water would be restored, and the expanse of about 292 square miles would add about a million acre-feet of water storage. That amount of water — enough to fill about 500,000 Olympic size swimming pools — could soak the southern Everglades during the dry season, protecting wildlife, preventing fires, and allowing for a redrawing of the $8 billion Everglades restoration plan approved in 2000."

    Anyone against this is clearly not from Florida. The flow between the Everglades and Okeechobee has been unnaturally severed and the taxpayers as well as the environment has suffered drastically as a result. Fixing the water table would help put an end to our issue with fires and droughts and save untouched Everglades from being destroyed indirectly by bad planning.

    • USNavyBlue, on 06/25/2008, -2/+1In addition, if people in FL were really serious about "saving the environment" send the illegal aliens home would certainly help!
  • basye, on 06/25/2008, -0/+1Target and World Market store both sell the Jones brand of soda which uses real sugar.
  • Mizterprice, on 06/25/2008, -1/+1Wow! Looks Like Less Sugar And More Corn Syrup...
  • ciphex, on 06/25/2008, -0/+4The sugar industry is an economic beast that has been influenced by politicians and ridiculous government reaches into the economic arena for over a hundred years. Think about it, what substance has long been, and will continue to be, both as ubiquitous and easily overlooked as sugar.

    we have artificially inflated sugar prices in the US due to federally enforced quotas (NAFTA being one of the latest reasons) on the amount of sugar that can be imported. this is great for the sugar industry, competition is dampened, demand is always high, ofc prices are far higher than they should be. the negative economic impact is spread across the entire population so no one pays it much mind. however, many products use HF Corn Syrup instead of sugar because, in bulk, that is a far more economical choice, though less appetizing, and certainly less healthy. if this company is responsible for nearly half of the domestic sugar supply in the US, what will this mean for all of the industries that rely on domestic cane sugar, what will it mean for consumer prices? who benefits? who loses?

    next time you are at the store, check the price on a lb. of cane sugar and ask yourself wth is going on. remember even just a few years ago when it was half that price? i mean dude, it's sugar.

    and finally, i'll quote the article: "Declining to provide details of how the state arrived at the price of $1.7 billion, he said it was a terrific bargain." (Governor Charlie Crist of Florida)

    I wonder who is getting the bargain?

    Reference Material
    http://www.fff.org/freedom/0498d.asp
    http://www.cato.org/pubs/tbb/tbb_0607_46.pdf
    http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/SC019
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