As you’ve no doubt seen, the Department of Government Efficiency has been swinging the budgetary ax, cutting a wide swath in its quest to eliminate “waste.”

So we have a suggestion for Elon Musk and his crew: Kill the Sugar Program.

These de facto subsidies cost consumers an estimated $2.4-$4 billion annually, inflate prices, push food manufacturers to move operations out of the country and incentivize the use of high fructose corn syrup as an alternative. True, there’s no actual subsidies, no government outlay. But the price supports and import quotas in the Sugar Program — itself part of the Farm Bill —  enriches a small group of major sugar producers like U.S. Sugar and Florida Crystals.

That is, the sugar program helps make Big Sugar profitable. And the industry then invests some of that profit in attempts to game the system via lobbying and millions in campaign contributions at the federal, state and local level each and every electoral cycle.

That may be sweet for sugar — but it leaves a sour taste in everyone else’s mouth.

Bipartisan case for reform

Sugar reform has long been a bipartisan effort; and indeed, the conservative CATO Institute in December submitted a report to DOGE on “How to Downsize and Reform the Federal Government” — and recommended repealing the Sugar Program.

Congressman Brian Mast has long advocated ending sugar’s sweet deal, including co-sponsoring the “Sweeter Act” in 2021 that would have ended this corporate welfare.

“By keeping certain politicians in their pocket, the titans of the sugar industry have been getting fat handouts from the federal government in the form of Department of Agriculture sugar subsidies,” said Mast at the time, noting that only 13 sugar processors in the entire country benefit from this program, earning millions annually.

“These are the same producers who drive up the price of goods for consumers, and at the same time, pollute our waterways,” said Mast.

This should be an obvious target for DOGE. Will it be?

Maybe, maybe not. President Trump has gotten significant support from Big Sugar, including two 2024 campaign contributions to the “Trump 47 Committee Inc.” political action committee totaling $927,900 from Jose “Pepe” Fanjul — co-owner of Florida Crystals. (This, on top of at least $1.7 million Fanjul contributed to Trump-related PACs in previous election cycles).

Then again, Health & Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has talked about “making America healthy again” — and while his focus has been on artificial sweeteners like high-fructose corn syrup, he’s certainly well aware of the myriad problems linked to excessive sugar consumption and could eventually train his sights on Big Sugar.

Indeed, there’s some evidence DOGE may have already taken notice of all this, via the “DOGEai” account on X (formerly Twitter) in a March 2 post:

So how about it, DOGE? The Sugar Program is an obvious target, and dismantling it not only makes fiscal sense, it would help our bodies — and our water bodies, too.