“Throughout the bargaining process, we have committed to good faith negotiations in the interest of reaching a fair agreement with our employees,” said Brian Inguslrud, Vice President for Administration at American Crystal Sugar Company. “The National Labor Relations Board’s dismissal of the union’s charges clearly affirms that we have acted with transparency, clarity and willingness to compromise.”

The NLRB cited the following explanations for dismissing the BCTGM’s charge:

 The Employer clearly laid out its objectives at the start of bargaining. The Union “repeatedly refused to consider the Employer’s proposals, and made virtually no counterproposals to address the Employer’s objectives.”
 The Employer significantly modified the subcontracting language in one of its last proposals prior to the lockout. “The modification was consistent with what the Employer claimed was past practice, and there is no evidence suggesting that the Union disagreed with the Employer regarding the past practice.”
 The Employer satisfied all information requests made by the Union.
 The Employer’s last two proposals before the lockout contained “significant movement” by the Employer. “The economics of its final two offers do not reflect bad-faith bargaining, and the last two proposals also included significant concessions on noneconomic items. The Employer’s significant movement is particularly relevant because the Union made few (if any) concessions.””American Crystal made a final offer to the union on July 28. The offer included significant pay increases over the life of the contract even when factoring in changes to the health care plan and increased pension contributions. The union rejected the Company’s final offer.

“Successful negotiations are based on reasonable give and take by both parties,” added Ingulsrud. “As this ruling clarified, we’ve been willing to negotiate but the union hasn’t shown the same willingness.”

To review the letter from the National Labor Relations Board, go to www.acsccontracttalks.com.

• America’s sugar producers support 146,000 U.S. jobs.
• Sugar farmers don’t receive government subsidy checks.
• Sugar producers generate nearly $10 billion a year for the U.S. economy.
• Sugar policy is predicted to cost taxpayers $0 in 2010.
• Sugar is produced in 18 states.
• Sugar producers’ fuel costs have skyrocketed by 251% since 1985.
• Two-thirds of Americans believe sugar in the U.S. is inexpensive.
• Food manufacturers pocket lower sugar prices to boost profits instead of sharing the savings with shoppers.
• Sugar policy didn’t cost taxpayers a dime in ’02, ’03, ’04, ’05, ’06, ’07, ’08, ’09 and ’10.
• 38 of America’s foreign sugar suppliers are developing countries and most support U.S. sugar policy.
• Seven out of ten of Americans prefer buying homegrown sugar, even if foreign sugar is cheaper.
• 100% of sugarbeet companies are owned by farmers.
• Dependence on foreign sugar in WWII forced the government to ration sugar.
• One-sided trade deals force the U.S. to import sugar from 41 countries regardless of our needs.
• The world sugar market is a thinly traded, heavily subsidized dump market and is the world’s most volatile commodity market.
• America is the world’s second largest sugar importer.
• NAFTA made Mexico the only sugar producer-domestic or foreign-with unlimited access to the U.S. market.
• 55-60% of America’s sugar production comes from beets, the rest from cane.
• Sugar producers’ labor costs are up 110% since 1985; farm equipment costs 75% more.
• Sugar prices in Mexico have historically been higher than U.S. prices.

STOWE, Vt. — As most industries limped through the recent economic meltdown, one thrived, according to an issue brief, “Confectioners’ Sweet Recession ,” released today by the American Sugar Alliance (ASA).

Stories of job creation, facility expansion, production increases, and record sales have been commonplace among candy makers since 2008, according to the report, which was published at the 28^th International Sweetener Symposium. “And it should continue if analysts’ predictions hold true.”

However, lawmakers aren’t hearing the good news.

“In fact, when [the National Confectioners Association] NCA and other candy industry lobbyists visit Capitol Hill, they spin a much different story—one of job loss and struggling company revenues because of sugar policy, which operates at no cost to taxpayers,” read the issue brief.

The fact that U.S. government data show candy production increasing nearly 9 percent since 2004, and 2.5 percent since the recession started in 2008, is just one of the positive developments not being shared with Congress, the ASA found.

This was confirmed by NCA’s president, who the issue brief quoted saying, “Despite a shaky economy for the past two and half years, sales continue to increase an average of 3% per year, with a nearly 4% gain this past year.”  That’s a far cry from sugar policy being a “financial burden,” as he’s told lawmakers.

NCA and other food manufacturers unsuccessfully lobbied in the last Farm Bill to increase taxpayers’ financial burden by replacing the no-cost policy with a $1.3 billion per year subsidy check program.  “Now, they are simply asking to eliminate any policy, at the risk of ending U.S. sugar production and leaving the United States dependent on foreign suppliers,” read the report.

This too seems destined to fail, according to the ASA.  After all, even sugar policy’s biggest critics are profiting and growing under the current system, which stands alone as the sole farm policy to operate without cost to the government.

“If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it,” ASA chairman Jack Pettus said at the Symposium.  “Farmers, confectioners, and taxpayers all seem to be thriving under America’s no-cost success story.”

-0-

The RRVSGA was at the center of the efforts to turn American Crystal into a grower owned cooperative. Today they represent over 2750 growers, raising sugarbeets on over 425,000 acres and delivering those beets to five factories up and down the Red River Valley of the North.

The RRVSGA addresses legislation that affects its growers, maintaining a presence at the state capitols of St. Paul, MN and Bismarck, ND. Further, through their membership in the American Sugarbeet Growers Association, they help influence the sugar program in the U.S. Farm Bill to help insure the existence of a strong industry now and well into the future.

CHAIRMAN-ON EXEC. COMMITTEE
Fischer, Dale ’01 (Mary Jo)
P. O. Box 36
Glyndon, MN 56547
Phone: (218) 498-2533 / c) 701-367-4896
e-mail: dmjfischer@hotmail.com

VICE CHAIRMAN-ALT. EX.COMM.
Bakke, Erik ’08 (Mindy)
33377 County Rd. 157
Ulen, MN 56585
Phone : (218) 596-8373 / c) 218-766-4697
e-mail: ebak9520@yahoo.com

SECRETARY
Leach, Chad ’07 (Lindsey)
6162 Hwy. 9 South
Glyndon, MN 56547
Phone: (218) 498-0370 / c) 701-261-4986
e-mail: leachfamily@loretel.net

TREASURER- ON EXEC. COMM.
Brantner, Kelly ’08 (Teresa)
9628 140th Ave. North
Felton, MN 56536
Phone : (218) 494-3726 / c) 701-371-1965
e-mail: KB6310@aol.com

Eidem, Trent ’09 (Laura)
607 36th Avenue South
Moorhead, MN 56560
Phone: (218) 331-2422 / c) 701-367-4096
e-mail: tjeidem@hotmail.com

Hoff, Jeffrey ’03 (Marci)
P.O. Box 365
Perley, MN 56574
Phone: (218) 861-6602 / c) 218-790-0342
e-mail: jeffhofffarms@hotmail.com

Israelson, Grant H. ’06
1248 130th St.
Wolverton, MN 56594
Cell: (701) 238-8687
e-mail: gisraelson@hotmail.com

Knight, David ’08 (Amy)
15141 26th St. SE
Amenia, ND 58004
Phone: (701) 347-5568 / c) 701-730-2510
e-mail: djknight78@gmail.com

Odegaard, Tyler ’09 (Beth)
16799 52nd St. SE
Kindred, ND 58051
Phone: (701) 428-9151 / c) 701-371-3746
e-mail: tyode1@msn.com

Rosenfeldt, Dan ’09 (Julie)
4803 South 6th St.
Moorhead, MN 56560
Phone: (218) 236-1541 / c) 218-979-1716
e-mail: dgrfarm@aol.com

Weber, Mark G. ’01 (Natalie)
12733 180th Ave. West
Borup, MN 56519
Phone (218) 494-3914 / c) 877-279-7986
e-mail: nmweber@feltontel.net

Weber, Todd ’00 (Marsha)
14996 40th St. SE
Wheatland, ND 58079
Phone: c) 218-790-3123
e-mail: weberm7@msn.com

INSURANCE POOL BOARD
Hoff, Jeffrey (Marci)
(Same address)

Weber, Mark G. (Natalie)
(Same address)

RESEARCH & EDUCATION BD.
Nelson, Kevin ’97 (Nancy)
P. O. Box 115
Glyndon, MN 56547
Phone: (218) 498-0112 / (701) 866-4806
e-mail: kevinkn@loretel.net

Eidem, Trent
(Same Address)

CHAIRMAN – ON EXEC. COMM.
Skaurud, Perry ’02 (Kathleen)
4468 State Hwy. 200
Gary, MN 56545
Phone : (218) 356-8771 / c) 218-766-8271
e-mail: perry@skaurud.com

VICE CHAIRMAN – ALT. EX. COMM.
Olson, Daniel ’01
466 6th St. NE
Reynolds, ND 58275
Phone : (701) 599-2361 / c) 701-741-6123
e-mail: danielolson@invisimax.com

SECRETARY – ON EXEC. COMM.
Pulskamp, Cindy ’09 (Neal)
16425 5th St. NE
Hillsboro, ND 58045
Phone: (701) 436-5548/ c) 701-436-6292
e-mail: cpulskamp@rrv.net
TREASURER
Rensvold, Doug ’03 (Nancy)
17135 14th St. SE
Gardner, ND 58036
Phone : (701) 860-6526 / c) 701-261-6343
e-mail: drensvold@linkup.net

Green, Randy ’07 (Angie)
3267 County Hwy. 23
Gary, MN 56545
Phone: (218) 784-3470 / c) 218-790-4987
e-mail: arheit@hotmail.com

Larson, Jeremie ’08 (Lenita)
502 Ives St.
Buxton, ND 58218
Phone: (701) 847-2466 / c) 218-791-9067
e-mail: landj_farms@msn.com

Olson, Rod ’09 (Anita)
1592 255th Avenue
Halstad, MN 56548
Phone: (218) 456-2298 / c)701-238-2585
e-mail: rkolsons@rrv.net

Osland, Mark ’10
21 7th Avenue SE
Mayville, ND 58257
Phone: (701)863-3822 / c)701-786-3822
e-mail: Ozzie@polarcomm.com

Riemer, Curtis ’02 (Stacey)
363 166th Ave. SE
Hillsboro, ND 58045
Phone: c) (701) 636-5733
e-mail: scriemer@rrv.net

Rockstad, Neil ’09 (Elizabeth)
1846 210th St.
Hendrum, MN 56550
Phone: (218) 784-4328 / c) 218-766-5014
e-mail: nrockstad@loretel.net

RESEARCH & EDUCATION BD.
Hultin, Glen (Barb)
16336 3rd St. North
Hillsboro, ND 58045
Phone: (701) 636-4785 / c)701-430-0491
e-mail: glenhultin@hotmail.com

Olson, Daniel
(Same Address)

INSURANCE POOL BOARD
Johnson, Lynn
2297 240th Ave.
Ada, MN 56510
Phone : (218) 784-7208 / c) 500-730-2807
e-mail: johnroes@arvig.net