Tampa — Republican presidential hopefuls Mitt Romney and Newt Gingrich agreed that the U.S. sugar policy needs revamping during a debate held Monday, January 23 in Tampa.

The rivals both said the sugar program should use an open market system, and Romney added that subsidies should be ended.

Industry sources say current sugar policy favors U.S. growers, artificially raising the commodity's price and limiting the amount that can be imported. This hurts not only the sugar using industries, but consumers as well, according to Susan Smith, the NCA’s senior vice-president of strategic communications.