Conservative groups: Sugar program must go

{mosads}Leaders from Americans for Tax Reform, Club for Growth, Americans for Prosperity, FreedomWorks, the Competitive Enterprise Institute and Taxpayers for Common Sense were among the signers who called for an end to the program’s “hidden taxes” on Americans.

The program has been the subject of a heated debate between candy producers, the sugar industry and the legislators who represent those interests.

Sen. Debbie Stabenow (D-Mich.), the chairwoman of the Senate Agriculture Committee, released her draft farm bill on Thursday evening. Her version keeps the sugar program in place.

The Senate committee will mark up that measure on Tuesday.

The House Agriculture Committee holds its markup on Wednesday.

The White House is currently reviewing a rule under the sugar program wherein the government buys excess sugar from the market and sells it to ethanol producers.