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Show Utah Sugar Beet Growers Support Sugar Act Extension Utah sugar beet growers threw their full support behind the American beet sugar industry's move to win extension of the federal Sugar Act, without any change, early in the forthcoming session of Congress. Ed J. Holmgren of Garland, president of the Utah Beet Growers Grow-ers Association, which includes virtually all of the state's farm sugar producers, said his directors direc-tors gave unanimous support to a resolution passed at the 13th annual meeting of the National Beet Growers Federation. The resolution called for extension, without amendment, of the act. "Our board of directors believes be-lieves that it is absolutely essential essen-tial the Sugar Act be extended by Congressional action as early as possible next year. We also strongly endorse the principle that the Act should not be jeopardized jeo-pardized by attempts of self-interest self-interest groups to amend it for their individual benefit," Holmgren Holm-gren said. Federation delegates, representing repre-senting sugar beet growers from 10 states and more than half of the nation's entire beet sugar production, pointed out that the Sugar Act generally is considered to be the most successful piece of farm legislation ever enacted in this country. Their resolution passed this week, said in part: "In recommending early legislative legis-lative action to extend the Act, we strongly urge all groups to accept the counsel of those who have worked in sugar legislation from its inception and to put aside their individual desires for changes in the Act, even though they feel amendments are needed need-ed to meet their needs, because we feel that any attempt to open the Act for changes at this time would jeopardize the entire program." pro-gram." "The Sugar Act has served for a quarter century to stabilize the American sugar market. It has assured ample supplies of sugar at all times and at reasonable prices to the consumers. It has provided for a share of our U.S. sugar market among our foreign friends and allies. And it has helped assure a fair market for the domestic producer. "Traditionally, the Sugar Act has received bi-partisan support in Congress because it has been the basis of such a successful program. It would be detrimental detrimen-tal to all consumers and producers pro-ducers alike if any group were to attempt to promote its selfish interests by seeking amendment of the Act, thus jeopardizing the whole program which now works for the benefit of all." During their two day meeting in Denver, Federation delegates also heard the International Sugar Agreement concluded at Geneva, Switzerland, on Oct. 24, praised as a stabilizing force in the world sugar market. |