Final answer:
The sugar quota in the United States costs consumers $6.08 billion per year due to protection against sugar imports, which benefits the sugar lobby but imposes a financial burden on consumers. This is a negative situation.
Step-by-step explanation:
In the case of sugar quotas in the United States, the cost to consumers is $6.08 billion per year. This cost is due to the protection against sugar imports that the U.S. domestic sugar lobby has successfully argued for since 1789. As a result, cookie and candy makers in the U.S. must use 85% domestic sugar in their products, which raises prices for companies and consumers. This situation can be considered negative as it imposes a financial burden on consumers and protects the interests of a minority group, the sugar lobby, rather than the majority of sugar consumers.