(NAFB.com) – In a bipartisan show of support for America’s sugar producers and how they help support national food security, multiple elected officials spoke at the industry’s 40th annual conference. “I think about the challenges that we have on our farm that aren’t different from those of you in the sugar industry, and that is the volatility and unknowns in the weather,” said Brad Finstad (R-MN), a fourth-generation farmer. “With that and the crippling input prices we have faced for years, it’s all about making sure we can continue farming for generations to come.” In Michigan, sugarbeet production generates more than $1.5 billion in annual economic impact and supports more than 14,000 jobs throughout the sugar supply chain. The sugar made by Michigan sugarbeets is extracted and packaged for delivery to food manufacturers and store shelves throughout the region. Across the country, beet and cane sugar production generates $23.3 billion in economic impact.