U.S. Sugar
| Company type | Private |
|---|---|
| Industry | Agriculture |
| Founded | 1931 |
| Founder | Charles Stewart Mott |
| Headquarters | Clewiston, Florida , United States |
Area served | United States (primarily Florida) |
Key people | Robert Buker (CEO), William S. White (Chairman) |
| Products | Sugarcane, refined sugar, sweet corn, oranges |
Number of employees | 2,500+ |
| Website | ussugar |
U.S. Sugar Corporation is a privately held firm specializing in agriculture, with its main offices located in Clewiston, Florida. The company oversees more than 230,000 acres spanning the counties of Hendry, Glades, Martin, and Palm Beach. As the foremost sugarcane producer in the United States, it generates an annual output exceeding 700,000 tonnes. Its range of products also encompasses refined sugar, sweet corn, and oranges.
Alongside Florida Crystals and the Sugar Cane Growers Cooperative of Florida—together referred to as Big Sugar—U.S. Sugar holds a prominent position within South Florida’s agricultural sector. The corporation is a leading employer in the Glades area, with a staff numbering over 2,500 individuals.
History
The origins of U.S. Sugar trace back to 1931 when industrialist and philanthropist Charles Stewart Mott purchased assets near Clewiston, Florida from the insolvent Southern Sugar Company, founding the United States Sugar Corporation. Subsequently, Mott transferred ownership stakes to his Charles Stewart Mott Foundation, which later restructured holdings in response to the Tax Reform Act of 1969 by reallocating shares to the Mott Children's Health Center to adhere to ownership regulations.
In 1962, the company inaugurated the Bryant Sugar House, which at the time was the largest sugarcane processing facility globally, capable of processing 5,000 tons daily. Following Mott’s passing in 1973, his son C.S. Harding Mott assumed the role of chairman. During the 1970s, confronted with falling sugar prices and competition from corn syrup alternatives, U.S. Sugar broadened its operations into cattle ranching, citrus cultivation, and vegetable farming. The acquisition of South Bay Growers in 1980 marked entry into leafy vegetable production, accounting for 13% of U.S. output. By the end of 1985, the company had also ventured into orange farming.
In 1983, U.S. Sugar launched an Employee Stock Ownership Plan (ESOP) aimed at privatizing the business by utilizing substantial long-term borrowing. This buyout price was disputed by certain shareholders who initiated legal proceedings. The privatization process was finalized in October 1987 when the ESOP alongside the Mott family group acquired all remaining public shares at $80 each, thereby lowering regulatory reporting obligations.
Suffering ongoing financial setbacks, South Bay Growers ceased most operations by 1994; however, its salad processing facility remained active while seeking new ownership opportunities. The early 1990s saw U.S. Sugar implement mechanical harvesters for cane cutting, which displaced many field laborers who subsequently filed a class action lawsuit resulting in a settlement exceeding $5 million in 1998.
The Bryant mill was shuttered in 2007 following earlier workforce reductions and mill closures dating back to 2004. In 2008, CEO Robert Buker, Chairman William S. White and family, along with the Charles Stewart Mott Foundation faced litigation from employees alleging that ESOP stock was undervalued during external acquisition offers—most notably by Gaylon Lawrence’s agro-conglomerate proposing $293 per share in both 2005 and 2007. The company countered these bids as undervaluations of its true value, a stance reinforced when the State of Florida publicly offered $2 billion for U.S. Sugar in 2008.
This historical overview underscores pivotal strategic transformations within U.S. Sugar’s operations including product diversification, transition to private ownership via ESOP, acquisitions such as South Bay Growers, mechanization adoption to enhance efficiency, and legal disputes influencing corporate governance and financial outcomes.
Environment
In June 2008, Florida Governor Charlie Crist revealed plans to negotiate the acquisition of 187,000 acres of land along with manufacturing facilities from the company, valued at around $1.7 billion, as a component of the Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan. The company was set to continue cultivating the land for a period of six years before restoring it to its original marshland state. By November 2008, the deal was adjusted to $1.34 billion, enabling sugar processing plants in Clewiston to keep operating. Opponents contended that this modification prolonged sugarcane farming in the Everglades by at least ten years.
In October 2010, the company transferred ownership of 26,800 acres to the South Florida Water Management District to support the "River of Grass" Restoration Project.
Economy
According to the Florida Sugarcane League, sugarcane agriculture contributes an economic impact of $3.2 billion and sustains more than 12,500 jobs. Employing upwards of 2,500 workers, U.S. Sugar ranks among the largest agribusiness employers within the Everglades area. Nonetheless, the cost of U.S. sugar production remains nearly double per pound compared to other developed nations, primarily due to its dependence on government subsidies.
See also
- Agriculture in Florida
- South Central Florida Express – railway operated by the company
- Draining and development of the Everglades
- Everglades
- H-2 Worker
- Restoration of the Everglades
- Sugar cane mill
- U.S. Sugar 148 steam locomotive
External links
- Short description with empty Wikidata description
- Sugar companies of the United States
- Sugar industry of Florida
- Food and drink companies based in Florida
- Hendry County, Florida
- Glades County, Florida
- Companies based in Palm Beach County, Florida
- 1931 establishments in Florida
- American companies established in 1931
- Food and drink companies established in 1931
- Companies of the United States by year of establishment