PLAQUEMINE -- The news of Coca-Cola announcing it will add a version of the popular soft drink using real cane sugar to its lineup this fall caught many sugar cane farmers around the capital area by surprise alongside giving them a sense of gratitude.

"Flattered that we were recognized, you know, in this specialized industry that we have in South Louisiana, and it's just us and Florida. We're relatively small, and I was proud," Sugar cane farmer Troy Canella of Canella Farms said. "Our industry needs everything we can get with all the high inputs and the price of everything. We need good marketing and uses for the sugar," he added.

For places like Canella Farms and St. Louis Planting in Iberville Parish, this comes right near the start of planting season.

"So right now we are in what's called the grand growth phase. It's where the sugarcane is taking up all this sunlight, all this moisture from the rainfall, and just growing as rapidly as it can. We're kind of on the cusp of our planting season and our soybean harvest, so we're getting to the point where we see some tractors moving out in the field. Cutting some sugarcane whole stalks and planting them into the ground," St. Louis Planting sugar cane farmer Patrick Frischhertz said.

Both farmers are excited about the possibilities for what's next for sugar cane, an industry dominated by Louisiana and Florida.

"It's a multi-billion dollar industry for the state, something that we're very proud of, and it really is a Louisiana crop. It's grown here, the varieties are developed here, and it's milled and refined here in Louisiana," Frischhertz said.

Even so, they both say that it's too early to tell what changes it could bring with the announcement coming out the same day. St. Louis Planting says there is currently no change in the budget or the outlook for the farm. They'll have to see what the demand is.

They were asked if Louisiana has enough sugarcane to meet any increased demands.

"If there is a higher demand, as of right now, two-thirds of sugar consumed in the U.S. is produced right here in the U.S., so if there is a higher demand, it would likely have to be imported. We have only 11 mills in this state, and it costs a substantial amount to build a new mill. I don't necessarily see new mills popping up," Frischhertz said.

"I would have to think it would have to be something that was thought out and have a plan, about a four or five-year plan down the road to make that happen, but like I said, we'd probably love the opportunity," Canella added.

Frischhertz says that cane sugar is a natural form of sucrose, which is extracted from a sugar cane plant. 

"It comes from sugar cane, it's a natural sugar, it really is. We grow the sugar cane, and there's sucrose inside the plant. We grow it, and then we ship it to a mill. All they do is squeeze the juice out and heat up the juice, and it creates a sugar crystal, and from there it goes to a refinery and is sold into the U.S. markets," Frischhertz said.

Versions of regular Coca-Cola in the U.S. use high-fructose corn syrup, a sweetener made from corn starch. Both high-fructose corn syrup and cane sugar are added sugars. According to the farmers, there's around 90 times more corn harvested in the U.S. than sugar cane. 

To both farmers, the announcement is good for the sugar cane industry as they say this new recognition could help with its value.

"We're very proud of the crop that we produce and proud of the real natural sugar that we produce, so it's great to see that recognition. It brings a lot of attention, and that could help with the value of it," Frischhertz said.

After they finish planting next year's crop, which typically takes a few months, they'll begin harvesting this year's crop.

"We'll start harvesting about September 2025, and we'll harvest all the way up until the new year," Canella said.