Candy is a special treat that has played an important role in cultural traditions, seasonal celebrations and family occasions here in the U.S. and around the world. But some consumers might not know that there is much more that goes into this honest, affordable, fun and transparent treat.

Candy making fuels our economy to great effect. In addition to being a part of Americans’ lives, our industry is a big part of the local, state and national economy. We are an industry positioned for growth and opportunity, and we have been an economic bright spot in the overall economy. The confectionery industry directly employs 55,000 people in the United States, and more than 400,000 jobs in agriculture, retail, transportation and other industries rely in part on the sale of confections for their livelihood. For every job that we create in our industry we support seven more in related industries, which means that candy drives a multiplier effect of 1:7. Our industry is comprised of hundreds of small and medium-size, family-owned businesses as well as the multi-national companies with global brands that operate more than 1,000 manufacturing facilities in all 50 states.

From dairy to nuts, sugar and cocoa processing, to our packaging materials and distribution systems, we create and support good-paying jobs across the board as we source our ingredients and move our products to the marketplace.

All told, the confectionery industry generates $35 billion per year, fueling local, state and our national economy. And we export $2 billion worth of confections around the world. This equates to about $10 billion in taxes paid to the United States government.

This week, confectionery industry leaders from across the country are coming to Washington to share the story of our economic impact with Members of Congress, government officials and other stakeholders. We are advocating for a policy and regulatory environment that will keep the economy vibrant and continue to create opportunities for us to provide jobs. We will discuss our leadership initiatives and community involvement with our elected officials on Capitol Hill, as we are doing our part to help address the ongoing conversation about food and nutrition policy, wellness and food safety.

Consumers understand the role of confections in their lives and choose to enjoy candy in moderation. In fact, most people in the United States enjoy candy about twice a week, averaging less than 50 calories per day from confectionery items.

Our member companies are providing consumers with the information, options and support they need to make the choices that are right for them and their families. Our front-of-pack labeling program puts calorie information right at consumers’ fingertips. We also make a wide variety of options - available in packages ranging from fun size to share size - that can bring a little sweetness to any moment.

We are committed to marketing our products responsibly. After all, we are parents, too. Leading candy companies have joined the Children’s Food and Beverage Advertising Initiative (CFBAI), including The Hershey Company, Mars Chocolate North America, Nestlé USA, Mondelēz International, Inc., Ferrero USA, Inc., and American Licorice Company. In fact, most of the candy on store shelves today is made by companies that do not advertise on children’s programming.

But our leadership and community involvement goes beyond the candy aisle in the grocery store. The confectionery industry has a long-standing history of collaborative philanthropic support. From granting paid leave for employees to volunteer their time, to supporting our troops to sponsoring local youth athletics, our member companies are active in the communities they serve. Engaging in sustainability programs, our member companies are working hard to ensure that every stakeholder in our entire value and supply chain wins…from farmers to our retail customers.

Confectioners are vital to the economic success of our communities, as they have been manufacturing some of the world’s most iconic brands for decades. From our transparency efforts to our responsible marketing practices, to our corporate responsibility and sustainability efforts, we are providing consumers great tasting products and the value and choices they deserve. The impact of this strong, thriving, innovative industry echoes across the country, where these companies are helping make life a little sweeter.

We are creating American products with American workers in cities and towns throughout the United States. And that is the power of sweet.

To learn more, visit candyusa.com.

John H. Downs is the President and CEO of the National Confectioners Association (NCA), the trade group representing more than 600 companies engaged in the business of confectionery.

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The above column is sponsor-generated content from The National Confectioners Association. To learn more about sponsor- generated content, click here.