Large sugar cane growing operations south of Lake Okeechobee disrupt natural water flow through the Florida Everglades ecosystem and pollute the water with heavy applications of fertilizer and pesticides. The Department of Agriculture's sugar program subsidizes this destruction by artificially inflating sugar prices and imposing quotas on imported sugar.

During debate on the Senate version of the 1996 Farm Bill, S. 1541, Sen. Judd Gregg (R-NH) offered an amendment to end the sugar price-support program. On February 7, 1996, the Senate rejected the Gregg amendment, 35 - 61. YES is the pro-environment vote. (See House vote 8.)