Why does the United States have a Sugar Quota Policy?

Question

The US limits the amount of sugar being imported into the country while allowing domestic prices for sugar to be more than twice as high as the world market price. In addtion, 70,000 to 10,000 jobs were lost from 1997 to 2003 because companies that use sugar as an input relocated to other countries to escape the high domestic sugar prices. Sugar is better grown in other countries and produced at a cheaper price. It costs 3 billion to 8 billion dollars to irrigate the Everglades to produce sugar which is paid for by tax dollars. Why did the US ever have these quotas put in the first place?

Answer 1

It was our founding fathers. fault. One of the first acts that the congress passed was a tariff on sugar to raise money. In 1842 they also added quotas to protect the domestic sugar industry.
http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/SC019

Answer 2

this is all to protect the sugar farmers in US.
They apparently have some influence on congress,
And there this idea that importing all of your food is leaves the country vulnerable if a war breaks out nearby.

Answer 3

It is a protectionist policy to support the industry and the jobs it creates- at tax payer expense.

Answer 4

Maybe it's a sanction in sheep's clothing against Cuba?