July 14, 2020
“The Sugar Association applauds consumer and healthcare organizations that have reached out to the U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA) to ask that the agency require complete transparency for the labeling of low- and no-calorie sweeteners, as well as put an end to misleading sugar claims for packaged food and beverage products.
The National Consumers League (NCL) recently wrote a letter to the FDA supporting the Sugar Association’s June 3rd FDA Citizen Petition asking the FDA to use its administrative and enforcement authority to enact sweeping alternative sweetener labeling reform.
“NCL is a leading voice for transparency in food labeling and has a strong history of consumer advocacy in support of the labeling of sugar substitutes,” said Courtney Gaine, PhD, RD, President and CEO of the Sugar Association. “Their comments to FDA make the case for mandating changes to alternative sweetener labeling that improves transparency and puts an end to incomplete and misleading labeling standards.”
In its letter to FDA supporting the Petition, NCL also states, “FDA has received a letter from the Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI) requesting that the agency set standards for nutrient content claims for added sugars. The citizens’ petition builds on that request by urging FDA to provide clearer ingredient labeling of alternative sweeteners and by requiring disclosures of potential negative health effects of sugar alcohols and the amounts of artificial sweeteners in foods and beverages.”
Read the full article at: https://www.michiganagtoday.com/consumer-group-letter-to-fda-supports-growing-call-for-action-on-alternative-sweetener-labeling-reform/
March 22, 2026
"The Feeding the Economy report affirms the vital role food and agriculture play in our nation’s economic resilience and food security. Commercial bakers have long been proud partners to American agriculture, sourcing 85 percent of their core ingredients from domestic farmers....Sponsoring organizations from the food and agriculture industries, who helped make the 2026 study possible, provided commentary on this year’s findings. The full list of sponsoring organizations includes: ...The Sugar Association"
March 10, 2026
"Courtney Gaine, president and CEO of the Sugar Association, a scientific body that supports the U.S. sugar industry, told the USDA Outlook Forum that the school meal standards taking effect next year might prohibit added sugars in kindergarten meals and could significantly restrict them in other grades. That change alone would cut sugar demand by over 130,000 short tons. The industry faces additional pressure from rising GLP-1 weight-loss drug usage, which jumped from 12% in May 2024 to 18% in November 2025, though Gaine cautioned it remains "premature to assess the impact."
March 3, 2026
"Gaine added, "There is no data to support all this." She said the focus on added sugar is often politically motivated, but food groups have not pushed back on the MAHA pressure. There is a lot of fear of retaliation, and for good reason they have not wanted to push back publicly," Gaine said. "I think it’s going to demand a coordinated, really coordinated, pushing back. Any effort up (until) now has been to go along to get along, and I don’t know if that’s going to work."
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