Sun rises on a new year

The first sunrise of 2015 rose over a St. Mary Parish sugar cane field this morning. Jim Simon, general manager of the American Sugar Cane League said statewide farmers hope to break even this season. Simon said last winter’s Arctic freeze hurt this year’s crop, making it not as productive. He said last year’s crop was excellent, but record imports caused the lowest prices in decades — about 21 cents a pound. The price is now 25 to 27 cents a pound.