Lufkin TX – Atkinson Candy Company hosted Rep. Louie Gohmert’s (R-Texas) Washington staff on a District Familiarization Tour. The tour provides an opportunity for staffers to learn about issues that affect the local district they represent. With the stop at Atkinson Candy, they were given a better understanding how legislation and policy has cost jobs in the country and their local district.
“We were fortunate enough to have Congressman Gohmert’s entire Washington staff come tour the factory and see what goes on behind our doors,” says Eric Atkinson, president of Atkinson Candy Company. “They were able to see, with their own eyes the vital role sugar plays in a company like ours, and from the ground up, understand why the cry for sugar reform is as loud as it is.”
Atkinson continues, “We explained how the current sugar legislation has shipped thousands and thousands of American jobs to other countries; and we know Louie and many other members of Congress would like to bring those jobs back where they belong. And, we can – it’s really a simple matter of Congress being willing to do what’s best for our country, and ultimately what is right.”
Gohmert in his comments agrees that change needs to take place. “Under the current sugar program, the federal government controls the supply of sugar in the U.S. market. This intervention into the market by the federal government, while at no cost to the government, has left an impact in the form of higher costs to produce food and increased prices for consumers. However, there are some food producers who have stayed in America, who want to stay in America, but with the higher costs induced by the federal government, some must either go out of business or move all of their American jobs to another country to get less expensive sugar.”
The current U.S. sugar program costs American consumers and food manufacturers an estimated additional $3.5 billion annually. Sugar is the most tightly controlled agricultural commodity in the nation. Current federal policies keep prices artificially high, benefiting wealthy sugar cane and beet farmers at the expense of consumers and small businesses such as Atkinson Candy Company. Sugar price supports are an unnecessary market intervention that has no place in our economy.
Atkinson Candy Company has been manufacturing fresh quality candy in Lufkin, Texas since 1932. The company’s brands are distributed worldwide— Chick-O-Stick, Peanut Butter Bar, Long Boys Coconut, Chocolate Long Boys, Long Boy Jrs., Mint Twists, Fruitie Tootie, Peco Coconut Peanut Brittle, Rainbow Coconut Bars, Christmas Tree Mint Twists, Family Favorites, Rainbow Sticks, Mint Sticks, Assorted Sours, Old Fashion Peanut Brittle and Gemstone Candies by Atkinson.
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Photo: “Eric Atkinson, president of Atkinson Candy Company explains the candy making process to Washington congressional staffers from Louie Gohmert’s (R-Texas) office.