Another thing that is particularly galling about sugar protectionism is that if there is a U.S. industry undeserving of trade protection, this is it. If it were not bad enough that American sugar prices are typically 2-3 times global prices, the federal government is also spending millions to clean up Big Sugar’s mess. Specifically, the sugar industry has done more to destroy the Florida Everglades than any other entity (with the possible exception of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, but they were often doing things to help sugar production). Now, the federal government is financing a massive Everglades restoration project to undo the damage. So we pay twice — as consumers in higher sugar prices, and as taxpayers in funding the restoration.