Category: Media Center

U.S. Sugar, Sugar Express and Autism Speaks Team Up to Raise Awareness and Funds for Autism Research During Autism Awareness Month

Posted on by U.S. Sugar

As part of April’s Autism Awareness Month, representatives from U.S. Sugar, the Sugar Express, and Autism Speaks coordinated a “Raisin’ Cane” train ride benefitting state and local autism awareness efforts.


“Our company is dedicated to serving our communities, and the Sugar Express is a great venue that empowers state and local nonprofits to raise funds to advance their cause,” said Scott Ogle, Railroad Superintendent of the Sugar Express. “We are so grateful these individuals decided to spend an enjoyable afternoon riding through our farmlands aboard the Sugar Express.”

According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control (CDC) an estimated 329,131 adults in Florida are living with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). The state also has a high prevalence of ASD diagnoses, with an estimated 4.88% of children being diagnosed with autism, which makes Florida one of the states with the highest estimated number of adults with ASD in the United States.

“As a mother, school board member, and advocate for special needs student in rural areas, I am so grateful to see local nonprofits and U.S. Sugar coming together to raise funds and awareness for autism research,” said Stephanie Busin, a Hendry County School Board Member. “The Sugar Express is a great way to bring together both advocates and neurodiverse individuals during Autism Awareness Month.”

The Autism Awareness train excursion was held on Friday, April 25, 2025, and funds raised through passengers taking the trip directly benefited to the Florida chapter of Autism Speaks. Throughout the ride, passengers were provided sensory kits by Mason’s Puzzle, a Clewiston-based nonprofit also supporting autism awareness.

“We are deeply grateful to U.S. Sugar for their unwavering commitment to our community,” said Candi Spitz, Area Executive Director, Community Engagement – Florida. “Your leadership helps to create a more inclusive world where everyone is celebrated for who they are.”

Raisin’ Cane Tours include train rides through the sugarcane farms in Clewiston, Florida in an effort to educate people about the history and farming practices of the industry. Group tours for communities and organizations typically take place during harvest season from October through March. The Autism Awareness Train Excursion was a special event fundraiser.

Raisin’ Cane Tours is a joint effort by the Clewiston Chamber of Commerce, Florida Crystals, Florida Sugar Cane League, the Sugar Cane Growers Cooperative of Florida and U.S. Sugar.

To learn more about this train tour and others call 863-983-7979 or EMail

U.S. Sugar & Community Partners Begin Work on Harlem Tree Park Amphitheater

Posted on by U.S. Sugar

Clewiston, FL – Recently, U.S. Sugar and Harlem community leaders gathered to announce the start of construction on a community amphitheater. Located in the Janet B. Taylor Community Tree Park in Harlem, the amphitheater will soon become the centerpiece for community gatherings for local residents, church organizations, and other civic groups. The construction of the amphitheater has been made possible through support from U.S. Sugar.

U.S. Sugar’s Brannan Thomas and community leaders LaVita Holmes, Pastor Gary McNealy, Michael Kerr, Rev. Dwayne Brown, Janet Taylor and John Bankston.

“This amphitheater will bring our local residents together for fellowship and music for many years to come,” said Brannan Thomas, U.S. Sugar’s Community Relations Director. “We are proud to support our community through local initiatives that unite one another, and this amphitheater goes a long way toward accomplishing that goal.”

Constructing the amphitheater in partnership with U.S. Sugar is David’s Carpentry & Concrete, a local, family-owned contracting and construction company. The park was dedicated in October 2022 in honor of longtime Florida leader and former Hendry County Commissioner Janet B. Taylor. U.S. Sugar donated the land in perpetuity, and it will remain in this location for generations to enjoy.

“What started as a vision for our community is now becoming a wonderful reality thanks to U.S. Sugar,” said Janet Taylor. “Soon, our community will have a place to celebrate during holidays and gather on weekends while listening to music.”

The new amphitheater in Janet B. Taylor Park in Harlem is expected to be completed this summer.

U.S. Sugar is committed to its local communities, having invested significantly into the renovation and improvement of local facilities over the last several years. The amphitheater in Harlem is the company’s latest community project, and follows support for the new community garden in Harlem, modernization of the C.S. Mott community pool in Clewiston, and renovation of the Charles E. Wetherald Youth Center in Clewiston. Completion of the amphitheater is projected for this summer.
About U.S. Sugar

U.S. Sugar is a South Florida-based farming and processing company that sustainably grows sugarcane, citrus, sweet corn and other winter and spring vegetables that feed American families. The company was founded in 1931 by Charles Stewart Mott, a visionary leader who hailed from a long line of farmers. Since the beginning, the company’s success has been rooted in traditional farming values and respect for the land. U.S. Sugar also operates a sugar refinery in Savannah, Georgia, that produces retail and store brand sugar for customers throughout the southeast.  Along with operating its 300-mile railroad, in total, U.S. Sugar sustainably farms 255,000 acres in Highlands, Glades, Hendry, Palm Beach and Martin counties in Florida and serves as a vital part of our rural communities, providing 3,000 jobs, community leadership and philanthropic support.

U.S. Sugar Announces Retirement of Judy Clayton Sanchez, Senior Director, Corporate Communications & Public Affairs

Posted on by U.S. Sugar

Clewiston, FL – U.S. Sugar announced that Judy Clayton Sanchez, the Company’s longtime Senior Director, Corporate Communications and Public Affairs, plans to retire effective October 31, 2024.
“For more than 30 years, Judy Sanchez has done an extraordinary job in managing U.S. Sugar’s Communications efforts and has acted as corporate spokesperson with integrity and grace,” said President and CEO Kenneth W, McDuffie.   “Her talent, expertise, and experience have earned the respect of our community, the media and the entire sugar industry, from Clewiston to Washington, D.C. and beyond.”

Judy Clayton Sanchez

“As a valued member of our management team, Sanchez has been actively engaged in strategic issues involving our business, from the environment and community engagement to national farm bill and trade for more than three decades,” McDuffie said.  “Her ability to effectively communicate on a wide range of issues as well as represent our Company with dignity and respect has been greatly appreciated by the senior management team, CEO and our board of directors.”

McDuffie said Clewiston resident and current Director of Corporate Communications Ryan Duffy, who has been working alongside Sanchez for the past seven years, will assume her role and responsibilities in Corporate Communications, including taking on the role of Company spokesman.

Ryan Duffy

“Being part of the U.S. Sugar family has been an honor and a truly incredible, fun, brilliantly challenging experience,” Sanchez said.  “Having worked with Ryan Duffy for nearly a decade, I am confident that his talent, abilities and passion for our business and our community will continue to serve our Company well.”

Sanchez first joined U.S. Sugar in 1992 as part of South Bay Growers, developing and marketing its fledgling retail salad products—moving over to U.S. Sugar’s executive offices in 1994.  She was promoted to Director of Communications in 1996 and Senior Director, Corporate Communications and Public Affairs in 2011.   She has been responsible for developing and overseeing the company’s corporate communications and community relations departments, including U.S. Sugar’s charitable giving programs as well as numerous community and employee-relations activities.  She holds a bachelor’s in Communications from Florida Atlantic University.

Sanchez’s career efforts were recognized as a Glades Woman of Accomplishment in 2002 and when she was inducted into the Women in Communications Hall of Fame in 2022-23.  U.S. Sugar has been fortunate that Sanchez and U.S. Sugar’s communications and public affairs team have engaged successfully over the years–communicating the science, facts and the Company’s position on issues that have been critical to the success of our Company, our industry, and our rural community.   She also played a key role in the industry’s overwhelming defeat of the “Penny-a-Pound” Constitutional Amendment and sugar tax

She was appointed in 2011 to the USDA and USTR’s Agricultural Technical Advisory Committee and continued to serve under three different administrations.  Sanchez is also a board member of the Western Palm Beach County Farm Bureau and Agriculture Communicators of Florida and a trustee of the Central Palm Beach County Chamber of Commerce and Hispanic Chamber of Commerce.   Previously, she served on the Board of the Lake Okeechobee Regional Economic Alliance (LORE) and the South Florida Water Management District’s Water Resources Advisory Committee (WRAC) and its Lake Okeechobee sub-committee.

“Our company, our industry and our community have been truly blessed to have Judy Sanchez working on our behalf.  She has been a terrific asset to our team for a long time, and we wish her well in retirement,” McDuffie said.
Sanchez and her husband Julio have two grown sons Matt (Lois) of Plantation, Florida and Nick (Karmen) of Fort Worth, Texas and three grandchildren.  She and her husband reside in Belle Glade.

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Thousands of South Florida Students Head Back to School with New Backpacks and School Supplies Through Support from U.S. Sugar

Posted on by U.S. Sugar

Clewiston, FL – As South Florida schools begin to re-open doors for the year, U.S. Sugar’s employees have been distributing backpacks and school supplies to thousands of students in Hendry and Palm Beach counties. The sugarcane and market-fresh vegetable farming company has been partnering with local libraries, churches, cities and health centers to deliver the school supplies over the past few weeks.

U.S. Sugar’s Brannan Thomas, Ryan Duffy and Vicki Markham with Clewiston students after handing out backpacks and supplies at the Clewiston Library.

“U.S. Sugar is committed to supporting student success in the classroom, and that starts by providing the tools students need to have an outstanding school year,” said Brannan Thomas, U.S. Sugar’s Community Relations Director. “On behalf of our company’s 3,000 employees, we wish the teachers, faculty members, parents and students a safe and successful school year.”

“Palm Beach County schools are greatly enriched through the generosity of corporate neighbors like U.S. Sugar,” said James Gavrilos, President & CEO of the Palm Beach County Education Foundation. “By aligning with us on delivering much-needed school supplies, it’s clear U.S. Sugar shares our foundation’s commitment to supporting and expanding learning opportunities throughout the region.”

As part of U.S. Sugar’s back-to-school drive providing backpacks and school supplies, it distributed nearly 5,000 backpacks filled with school supplies to local students and provided school uniforms to students in LaBelle. U.S. Sugar’s partners in the region included:

·         Clewiston Library

·         Florida B. Thomas Community Library in Harlem

·         Florida Community Health Centers in the Glades Communities

·         Christ Central Church in LaBelle

·         Palm Beach County Education Foundation throughout the Glades

·         City of South Bay

·         Melissa’s House in Pahokee

·         Melissa’s Place homeless shelter in Pahokee

“Families in Clewiston, Harlem and the Glades Communities are incredibly grateful for U.S. Sugar’s support for school supplies as students begin to head back to school,” said Nardina Johnson, Center Administrator for the Florida Community Health Center in Clewiston. “Our communities can always count on U.S. Sugar to step up and provide support when it is needed, and this school year is no exception.”

Thank you note from the Palm Beach County Education Foundation after backpack and school supplies were delivered in Palm Beach County’s Glades community schools.

About U.S. Sugar

U.S. Sugar is a South Florida farming company that sustainably grows sugarcane, citrus, sweet corn and other winter and spring vegetables that feed American families.  The company was founded in 1931 by Charles Stewart Mott, a visionary leader who hailed from a long line of farmers. Since the beginning, the company’s success has been rooted in traditional farming values and respect for the land. For more information, please visit www.ussugar.com.

U.S. Sugar Announces Upgrade to SAP S/4HANA Cloud Private Edition with RISE with SAP ERP U.S. Sugar Announces Upgrade to SAP S/4HANA

Posted on by U.S. Sugar

Clewiston, FL – U.S. Sugar, a leading producer of refined cane sugar and market-fresh vegetables, today announced the launch of an upgrade to the SAP S/4HANA Cloud Private Edition with the RISE with SAP solution. This transition marks a significant milestone in U.S. Sugar’s long-standing partnership with SAP, enhancing the company’s business efficiency, precision agriculture capabilities, and sustainability efforts.

Since the initial implementation of SAP systems in 2007, U.S. Sugar has been a strong collaborator with SAP, contributing to the development of the SAP Intelligent Agriculture solution, which won the 2022 Hasso Plattner Founders’ Award in the Products and Technology category. With the latest upgrade to SAP S/4HANA Cloud Private Edition, U.S. Sugar continues to lead the industry in adopting innovative solutions that digitize farming processes and services, increase operational efficiency, and drive operational excellence and sustainability.

Pictured: Members of the SAP Advisory Council for Agribusiness during a recent visit to U.S. Sugar.
Pictured: Members of the SAP Advisory Council for Agribusiness during a recent visit to U.S. Sugar.

“We are thrilled to partner with SAP on this significant effort to digitize our business with RISE with SAP S/4HANA Cloud Private Edition. This transition not only enhances our core ERP functionalities but also integrates advanced AI capabilities, which will significantly improve our procurement, maintenance, and sustainability performance,” said Carl Stringer, U.S. Sugar’s Vice President of IT and Benefits. “This collaboration underscores our commitment to leveraging cutting-edge technology to remain the low-cost producer of refined sugar and vegetables.”

“U.S. Sugar has been a pivotal partner in our journey to innovate and enhance agricultural solutions. Their move to SAP S/4HANA Cloud Private Edition using RISE with SAP exemplifies the potential of integrated cloud solutions to transform business operations,” said Anja Strothkaemper, Global Vice President, Product Marketing for Agribusiness and Commodity Management at SAP. “We are excited to support U.S. Sugar in achieving sustainability and precision agriculture goals, and we look forward to seeing the positive impacts of this collaboration.”

The upgrade using RISE with its SAP includes the core SAP S/4HANA Cloud Private Edition, which encompasses essential ERP functionalities such as finance and procurement, along with new capabilities like embedded AI. Additional modules such as SAP Ariba solutions, the SAP Sustainability Control Tower solution, and the SAP Service and Asset Manager mobile app will further optimize U.S. Sugar’s operations, ensuring seamless procurement activities, real-time sustainability performance monitoring, and efficient maintenance management.

Moreover, the integration of SAP Intelligent Agriculture will enable U.S. Sugar to evaluate, enhance and further integrate its digital farming solutions, fostering greater efficiency and sustainability in their farming operations. As a company, U.S. Sugar is committed to growing food for American families. In addition to being one of the largest domestic producers of refined cane sugar, U.S. Sugar and its growers are the largest source of market-fresh sweet corn during the winter and spring months east of the Mississippi River every year.

The cloud delivery of SAP S/4HANA Cloud Private Edition will also significantly improve the interoperability and system resiliency between U.S. Sugar’s Florida operations and the Savannah Refinery in Georgia, providing a unified, cloud-based business platform accessible from anywhere. The integration of SAP S/4HANA Cloud Private Edition using RISE with SAP is expected to take place over the next several years.

U.S. Sugar has provided valuable insight into agribusiness technology capabilities from SAP throughout its collaboration. Stringer has served on the SAP Advisory Council for Agribusiness since 2018 and also participates in both the Efficient and Sustainable Farming Workgroup and the Artificial Intelligence Workgroup. In July, U.S. Sugar hosted the SAP Advisory Council for Agribusiness in Clewiston, where SAP’s integrated solutions were highlighted as part of a company-wide tour.

About U.S. Sugar

U.S. Sugar is a South Florida farming company that sustainably grows sugarcane, citrus, sweet corn and other winter and spring vegetables.  The company was founded in 1931 by Charles Stewart Mott, a visionary leader who hailed from a long line of farmers. Since the beginning, the company’s success has been rooted in traditional farming values and respect for the land. For more information, please visit www.ussugar.com.

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Another Period of Excellent Air Quality in the Glades with State of Florida Monitoring Data Consistently in “Good” Range

Posted on by U.S. Sugar

Clewiston, FL – As local sugarcane, fruit and vegetable farmers recently completed the 2023-2024 harvest season, the latest data show once again excellent air quality in the Glades. Results from the Florida Department of Environmental Protection and the Florida Department of Health, which follow the protocols set forth by the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), show air quality in the Glades is in the highest range, which is defined as “Good” during the harvest season.

“Nearly all of U.S. Sugar’s farmers and employees are proud to call the Glades communities home, so we are thankful to also have some of the best air quality in the entire state of Florida,” said Community Relations Director Brannan Thomas. “Farmers remain careful stewards of our natural resources, and we want the public to know that the latest period of data shows that concerns that farmers are adversely affecting our local air quality are completely unfounded.”

In February during the harvest, the EPA announced that the definition of “Good” air would be changed by strengthening air quality standards. The new standard lowers the amount of microscopic “PM2.5” particles in “Good” air from 12 to 9.  PM2.5 particles include field and construction debris, car and truck exhaust, sediment from dirt roads, prescribed burns, wildfires, BBQs and fireworks.

Monitoring stations in Belle Glade, Royal Palm Beach and Delray Beach all show an overwhelming number of “Good” days for air quality – the highest level possible. In fact, the Florida Department of Health showed that air quality in the Glades during the 2023-2024 harvest was consistently in the Good category – 200 “Good” days and 9 “Moderate” days.

The moderate days in March and April were primarily affected by volcanic ash and Sahara dust as winds blew sand particles into Florida from the Sahara Desert.  The only “Unhealthy” day on October 3, 2023, was caused by well-documented Canadian smoke covering the eastern United States. U.S. Sugar started its annual harvest on October 5, 2023 – well after smoke impacts from the Canadian wildfires cleared.

In addition to the public data, seven professional-grade private monitors in the area confirm the findings across the entire farming region. The average particulate reading for the Glades was 6.80 PM2.5, well within even the EPA’s revised standard for “Good” air quality. Air quality  data has been provided by the State of Florida public data, private sources, and trusted independent sources like the American Lung Association.

This spring, the American Lung Association released its 2024 State of the Air report, showing air quality throughout the United States from 2020 through 2022. Palm Beach County leads the state with the lowest annual average for particulate matter. It received the highest grade: “A” with ZERO days of high particle pollution (PM2.5) or high ozone content over the three-year period. In addition to the EPA’s PM2.5 strengthened particle standard,  the American Lung Association used EPA data which sets the ranges of air quality from “A” at less than 55 parts per billion of ozone in the air to “F” at more than 200 parts per billion.

Maintaining these high standards requires steadfast resolve and constant analysis to ensure farmers remain good stewards of our air resources. To foster an inclusive relationship and understanding of the specific needs of the Glades community, Tuskegee University and Florida A&M University have partnered with U.S. Sugar  and local communities for a comprehensive environmental study to assess the impacts of sustainable farming practices, including air quality and sugarcane-burning practices, throughout the region.

This partnership and the new air quality data underscores U.S. Sugar’s commitment to keep the air good, safe, and clean for all of us who live, work, and raise our families together in the Glades farming communities.

Read U.S. Sugar’s 2023-2024 Air Quality Update

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Florida farmers increasingly a positive part of cleaning water statewide (Opinion)

Posted on by U.S. Sugar

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – There is a saying: “If you take care of the land, it will take care of you.” These are the words by which Florida’s farmers live.

Florida farmers, growers and ranchers are stewards of the land, and they play an integral role in the protection, restoration and conservation of our state’s precious natural resources.

Farmers utilize Agricultural Best Management Practices, or BMPs, that were developed by the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumers Services with the University of Florida and approved by the Florida Department of Environmental Protection to restore and improve the quality of our water, while maintaining the unique ecosystems we have in the Sunshine State.

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U.S. Sugar Announces Promotion of Eric Edwards to Senior Vice President, Public Affairs

Posted on by U.S. Sugar

Clewiston, FL – U.S. Sugar announced today that Clewiston native Eric Edwards, current Vice President, State Governmental Affairs, has been promoted to Senior Vice President, Public Affairs.  This promotion is effective immediately.

“Each year with U.S. Sugar, Edwards has taken on increasingly greater roles and responsibility, and he has proven to be a strong and effective leader — both within our company and the industry,” said Ken McDuffie, President and CEO. “We are extremely proud that one of Clewiston’s own will continue our long-term efforts to advocate for agriculture and our agricultural communities in Tallahassee and Washington DC.”

Edwards will lead all of the company’s governmental affairs efforts, incorporating all public affairs responsibilities in Florida and Washington DC. Additionally, as part of his promotion, Edwards was recently recognized by U.S. Sugar’s Board of Directors as a senior leader in corporate management and business strategy.  He first started with U.S. Sugar in 2016.

Throughout his time at U.S. Sugar, Edwards has taken an active role in further establishing U.S. Sugar’s role in the public affairs arena as an industry leader in agriculture as well as land, water and air stewardship. He serves as an active member of the Florida Agriculture Coalition, Florida Land Council, and is an active member of many other statewide and regional business and agricultural organizations.  Edwards is a Lifetime Member of Leadership Florida and graduate of the Leadership Florida Connect Class 9.  In 2021, INFLUENCE Magazine named Edwards as the “Florida Agriculture Lobbyist of the Year”

Edwards, a seventh generation Floridian, resides in Tallahassee, Florida with his wife Jennifer and their two young children. Edwards is an avid outdoorsman, enjoys golf, and in his personal time, he and his wife spend their time finding ways to support their church and their children’s school in Tallahassee.  He is a graduate of Florida State University.  Prior to joining U.S. Sugar, he served as Chief Legislative Aide to Florida Senate President Don Gaetz.

Kenneth W. McDuffie Takes the Helm as President & CEO of U.S. Sugar

Posted on by U.S. Sugar

Clewiston, FL – U.S. Sugar today announced its Executive Vice President Kenneth W. McDuffie has assumed the role of President and Chief Executive Officer, succeeding Robert H. Buker, Jr. McDuffie has more than 30 years of experience in agriculture leadership roles involving agricultural operations, precision agriculture technology, research, business strategy and finance.

President & CEO Kenneth W. McDuffie
President & CEO Kenneth W. McDuffie

“Given Ken’s decades of experience leading efforts to modernize U.S. Sugar’s farming and technological infrastructure, there is no better choice to lead our growing company into the future,” said Ridgway White, Chairman of the U.S. Sugar Board of Directors. “Under Ken’s leadership, U.S. Sugar’s agricultural operations department has become one of the most efficient, sustainable and productive departments at any agricultural company in the world. Our Company is incredibly fortunate to have him at the helm.”

“I am humbled to have the opportunity to lead U.S. Sugar at such an exciting time, when we are harnessing more technology to grow food more sustainably than ever before,” said McDuffie. “I look forward to building on the successes we have achieved under Bob Buker’s leadership and continuing to ensure U.S. Sugar remains a market leader in safely and efficiently producing sugar, sweet corn, green beans and other food crops for American families.”

McDuffie, a Clewiston native, most recently served as U.S. Sugar’s Executive Vice President, a position he has held since 2021. In this role, McDuffie assisted the former President & CEO in all strategic and political matters as well as oversight of U.S. Sugar’s agricultural operations, including citrus agriculture and research, railroad operations, Rouge River Farms (locally-grown vegetables) and industry/grower relations.

From 2005 until 2021, McDuffie served as the Senior Vice President of Agricultural Operations. McDuffie first joined U.S. Sugar in 1992 and has held several positions with the Company, first starting out as a farm assistant. As part of his tenure, McDuffie led efforts to modernize U.S. Sugar’s agricultural operations and develop one of the most technologically advanced and productive harvesting fleets in the nation. He holds a bachelor’s degree in economics from Florida State University.

McDuffie and his wife Melissa (Dusty) have two sons, Nick and Samuel, who are currently enrolled in college. His third son Landon and daughter-in-law London live in Stuart with grandson Preston.

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U.S. Sugar CEO Robert H. Buker, Jr. Honored With Prestigious “Sugar Man of the Year” Award

Posted on by U.S. Sugar

Clewiston, FL – U.S. Sugar today announced that its CEO, Robert H. Buker, Jr., has been selected as the 2023 recipient of the national Dyer Memorial Award, “Sugar Man of the Year.” 

“Our country, our state and our local communities have all been enriched by Bob’s tireless commitment to defending American agriculture,” said U.S. Sugar Executive Vice President Ken McDuffie. “Over his 41 years of service for and with U.S. Sugar, Bob has established himself as a pillar of the American sugar industry and is so richly deserving of this prestigious award.”

This esteemed industry accolade highlights Buker’s outstanding achievements and long-standing leadership in the sugar industry. He stood out amongst a highly competitive field of nominees based on his tireless efforts to advance and protect the entire American sugar industry as well as his keen vision for the Company’s growth and diversification.  Those accomplishments have been well documented in both the media and in corporate reports over a career in agriculture that has spanned more than 41 years with U.S. Sugar (and five years previously as outside counsel).

With his 19 years at the helm, Buker is the longest-tenured CEO in Company’s history, and his accomplishments are unparalleled. Throughout his career, he led the robust expansion and modernization of U.S. Sugar through complete vertical integration, diversification into vegetables and geographic reach beyond Florida to other states and into Canada. All the while, he advocated vigorously for sugarcane and sugar beet farmers on the national stage and fended off unrelenting attacks on the industry from well-funded activists/extremists.

Buker also has played a pivotal role in shaping U.S. Sugar into the strong, sustainable, and resilient company it is today. In 2022, he guided the Company through its purchase of Imperial Sugar, the largest acquisition in the Company’s history. With an emphasis on safety, technology, expansion, environmental sustainability, and community service, he leaves the 92-year-old U.S. Sugar well positioned for its next century. 

Buker earned a degree in psychology from Wheaton College in Illinois and graduated with highest honors from the University of Florida School of Law. From 1973 to 1979, Buker served as an officer in the United States Army. He and his wife Barbara live in rural Glades County. 

This latest honor recognizing a lifetime achievement comes upon the heels of the recent announcement that Buker plans to retire effective October 27, 2023. 

“At 73 years old and after 41 years of working with and for U.S. Sugar, I am proud to say that I am leaving the Company with confidence knowing it is stronger, more resilient, has far better leadership, and is in an overall better position than when I began,” said Buker. “I am proud that I served with a Board of Directors with great values and vision, and with an amazing group of employees.”

Robert. H. Buker, Jr. is the latest recipient of the Dyer Memorial Award, which is named after B.W. Dyer, a 121-year-old brokerage company that specializes in sweeteners and other foods.  The award was established 1958 in memory of the company’s founder, B. Wheeler Dyer by his two sons, Daniel and Ben. Each year a panel of three distinguished judges selects a person who has made meritorious contribution to the U.S. sugar industry to receive this widely acclaimed honor.

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What industry/community leaders are saying:

Ridgway White, U.S. Sugar Chairman of the Board:  “Under Bob’s leadership, U.S. Sugar further solidified and expanded its position as a premier agricultural company.  He provided that same visionary and strategic leadership as American sugarcane and sugar beet farmers dealt with devastating global trade issues,  catastrophic weather events, changing politics and volatile market prices.  He is deserving of this honor.”  

Alan and Ardis Hammock, Frierson Farms:  “From our rural areas to Florida’s capital in Tallahassee to the nation’s capital in Washington D.C, Bob Buker has led our sugar industry to great things.  He always understood and stood up for the interests of small, independent sugarcane and sugar beet farmers like our 100+ year- old family Frierson Farms.  Whether it is standing up against activists in Florida or sugar users in DC or fake news in the media, Bob has been our champion and taken up the banner for American farmers.  Bob Buker has the strategic planning and leadership skills similar to the military greats throughout history, and our industry has benefited from these leadership skills.”

Tom Astrup, Chairman & CEO, United Sugar Producers & Refiners:  “Through our one-of-a-kind beet and cane sugar marketing partnership, I have come to know Bob as a brilliant business strategist, fearless and compassionate leader, trusted business partner, friend, and confidant. I can think of no person who has had a greater positive impact on sugar production in the United States over the last 25+ years, than Bob Buker.” 

Pastor Rex Durham, Providence Church, Lehigh Acres, FL, “What I have found is that Bob Buker, by the grace of God, is a man of integrity, generosity, humility and loyalty. Those are qualities I believe the sugar industry needs to celebrate with this award, especially in a time when those qualities are becoming more and more rare. Time after time I have been privy to his generosity, the act of being kind by giving to others, as he has given in times of need to those who were struggling to pay the bills or put food on the table for their family. Bob is humble. He never seeks recognition for these things nor would he want it.”