U.S. Sugar Corporation

the largest sugarcane producer of the Glades

Founded

1931

Evidence class

publicly verified operating

Acres (module, 2025 roll)

93,986

Place

Clewiston, Hendry County

District

The Glades

Status as of 12 September 2026

Operating; farms about 245,000 acres of cane, corn, citrus and vegetables and runs the Clewiston mill and refinery, the railroad, Southern Gardens Citrus and Imperial Sugar.

Connections

12 edges, 12 distinct neighbours · betweenness 0.090 (rank 17 of 243) · location and lineage only 0.082 (rank 7) · outside share 0.25

Confidence

High · sources: [USSH] [MOD] [WUSS] [JMFS] [NPR08] [BNO10] [BB22] [LDC] (register)

Charles Stewart Mott buys the assets of the bankrupt Southern Sugar Company in 1931 and renames the operation United States Sugar Corporation; the first harvest of 1932 yields 292,228 tons of cane [USSH][JMFS]. An employee stock ownership plan forms in 1983 and the company goes private through it in 1987 [WUSS][USSH]. The module's resolved owner table carries U.S. Sugar at 93,986 acres inside the six core counties, second within this dataset; most of its cane land lies east of them in Palm Beach County [MOD][WUSS].

Connections

Location and lineage

• holdsClewiston mill and refinerythe company's flagship mill and refinery1931 to present
• founded byCharles Stewart Mottbuys the Southern Sugar assets out of receivership1931
• land or role moved toSouth Florida Water Management District26,800 acres sold for 194 million dollars, closed October 2010: about 17,900 citrus acres in Hendry County and 8,900 cane acres in Palm Beach County, the remnant of the 187,000 acre River of Grass deal announced June 20082008 to 2010
• grew intoSouthern Gardens Citrusthe citrus subsidiary in Hendry County1994 to present
• grew intoSouth Central Florida Expressthe shortline railroad subsidiary1994 to present
• grew intoImperial Sugar Companythe 315 million dollar purchase completed 30 November 2022 after the failed federal challenge2022 to present
• grew out ofSouthern Sugar Companythe assets become U.S. Sugar1925 to 1931
• becameEAA Reservoirthe A-2 parcel comes into public ownership through the 2010 purchase2010 to present
• tied venture or seatClewistonheadquarters town of the company1931 to present
• builtBryant Sugar Housebuilds and runs the Bryant mill1962 to 2007

Events and recognition

• featuresClewiston Sugar Festivalorigin in the company's end of harvest barbecues1930s to present

Support

• supported byEverglades Agricultural Areathe primary growing region of the company1948 to present