Loopholes in existing trade agreements must be closed if the U.S. sugar farmers are to survive the next federal farm bill, members of the industry told the House Agriculture Committee on Thursday.

The committee is beginning deliberations on the 2002 Farm Bill. Several industry leaders attended the gathering, including Robert Coker vice president for public affairs, for Clewiston-based U.S. Sugar Corp.

"During the last year and a half, our industry suffered immensely when pries collapsed as a result of an oversupply of sugar in the market," said Ray VanDriessche, a farmer from Bay City, Mich, and president of the American Sugarbeet Growers Association.

Among the reasons given for the glut: Above-quota imports from Mexico and excellent crop yields in the United States.

In a Fort Myers interview on Thursday, U.S. Sugar spokeswoman Judy Sanchez said the 1996 "Freedom to Farm" Bill was well-intended, but contributed to the sugar glut, as some grain and rice growers diverted some of their land to sugarbeet or sugarcane growing as their government support systems were phased out. "You can’t blame them for wanting to go into a more profitable crop, but it skewed the marketplace," Sanchez said.