U.S. SUGAR PRODUCT AMENDMENT UNLIKELY TO SURVIVE
An amendment approved by the House
Agriculture Committee yesterday requiring quotas on U.S.
imports of products containing sugar is unlikely to remain in a
comprehensive trade bill, Congressional sources said.
    The amendment, offered by Rep. Arlan Stangeland, R-Minn.,
would require quotas on the import of any merchandise
containing over 25 pct sugar or other farm products which are
now subject to U.S. quotas.
    Supporters of the amendment said it is aimed at curbing
shipments of food products containing sugar from Canada.
However, the Ways and Means committee, which has overall
jurisdiction on trade legislation, will try to kill the
amendment as protectionist, a committee aide said.
    An Agriculture committee aide acknowledged the proposal
probably will not survive scrutiny by other House committees.
But he said the amendment was introduced in part to send a
warning to U.S. companies considering moving food processing
plants to Canada to avoid the restrictive U.S. sugar quota.
    In debate on the amendment yesterday, Rep. Stangeland and
other supporters said the proposal would have no effect on the
status of foreign trade zones.
    Sugar producer groups pushed for the amendment on
sugar-containing products because they believe sugar is being
shipped to the United States in food products as a way to
circumvent the quota on raw sugar.
    The sugar quota is only one mln short tons this year.
 Reuter
