Regarding “Will Harris take on Big Sugar?” (Oct. 21):

Waldo Proffitt's column ignored some important facts. The sugar industry is a vital part of Florida's economy, contributing $2 billion in economic activity each year and providing 40,000 jobs. Next to citrus, sugar is the state's most valuable commodity.

For the record, the sugar provisions in the House bill are one of the few farm programs with no budgetary cost. The proposed sugar program would restore supply management and import controls on subsidized foreign sugar, rather than rely on government payments. Sugar farmers would get their return from the marketplace.

American consumers are helped, not hurt, by a sugar policy that guarantees abundant and affordable sugar. We pay about 20 to 30 percent less for sugar in our supermarkets than consumers in most other developed countries.

The United States should not abandon its program while every other sugar-producing country in the world maintains trade-distorting protections. Eliminating the sugar program would benefit only the multinational food processing companies, as U.S. farmers would be forced out of business.

As for the environment, in addition to paying $200 million to $300 million in "Agriculture Privilege Taxes" for the privilege of farming their own land, sugar farmers have implemented new soil- and water-management practices. This has resulted in 73 percent reductions in phosphorus in water leaving the farms. Water from sugar farms flowing into the Everglades has seven times less phosphorus than Miami-Dade County tap water.

Successful sugar farming has thus far kept this land from urban development that would have far worse environmental impacts.