Contact: Judy Clayton Sanchez
863-902-2210
Clewiston, FL – Today, all U.S. Sugar employees and suppliers who have been deemed essential to the nation’s food supply and national security will begin carrying authorization letters to inform authorities that they are approved to be out of their homes and working.
“Our farmers, workers and other essential food production vendors will continue working around the clock to keep safe, locally grown food on America’s grocery store shelves and American families’ tables,” said Judy Sanchez, Senior Director, Corporate Communications and Public Affairs.
U.S. Sugar’s farms in South Florida provide a significant amount of the sugar, citrus, sweet corn, green bean and other fresh fruits and vegetables that keep grocery stores and food markets supplied around the state and the country.
According to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, farming and processing is considered “critical infrastructure” to continue the American food supply chain. As more and more shutdowns of entire counties continue, our family of farmers has not stopped working in the fields and factories to produce food for families.
In addition, residents of South Florida, including Palm Beach County where many of our people reside, have been ordered to stay at home unless they work for an essential business like ours.
U.S. Sugar employees, our farmers, contractors, suppliers, drivers and business partners which are essential to the American food supply chain all will carry letters stating this information so they can show it to local and State law enforcement if they are questioned or stopped while traveling in areas that have implemented a stay at home order from the Governor.
The Company also owns and operates an independent short-line railroad, the South Central Florida Express, which serves essential food and other agricultural producers that must remain in operation as part of the nation’s critical transportation infrastructure.
These essential services also follow all directives by Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, the Centers for Disease Control and the federal government to keep our workers and our food supply as safe as possible during this pandemic. What’s even more important is that these measures enable all of our people to continue working and earning a paycheck at a time when many other workers have been furloughed or laid off as a result of COVID-19.
About U.S. Sugar
U.S. Sugar is a farming company that grows and processes sugarcane, citrus, green beans, sweet corn and other 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, our company’s success has been rooted in traditional farming values and respect for the land.