The U.S. Department of Agriculture announced last Friday the sugar tariff-rate quotas (TRQ) for fiscal year 2014. The TRQ establishes the amounts of raw, refined and specialty sugars that may be imported for domestic use, which includes the manufacturing of sweetened dairy products like flavored milk and ice cream.

The 2014 TRQ level for raw sugar remains at 1,231,497 short tons raw value (STRV), the minimum allowed under the World Trade Organization. Refined and specialty sugar TRQs are set at 134,482 STRV, a level slightly higher than in fiscal year 2013; of this amount, 112,057 STRV is reserved to accommodate high demand for specialty sugars.

IDFA has consistently worked with the Sweetener Users Association to advocate for increasing the sugar TRQ, specifically for high-quality refined sugar used in dairy manufacturing.

For more information, contact Beth Hughes, IDFA director of international affairs, at bhughes@idfa.org.