American Food Aid
Why Reform Matters
Description:... Since 1954, U.S. international food aid programs have helped to feed over 3 billion people and promote food security in over 150 countries. Most U.S. food aid is provided through Food for Peace, which is currently funded, on average, at $1.6 billion annually. Over the past 5 years, U.S. food aid has helped 56 million people, on average, per year. The increasingly challenging global environment has illustrated to Congress the need for greater flexibility in how Food for Peace operates. The law requires that 100 percent of the food aid to be delivered be U.S.-purchased commodities, and 50 percent of that is to be shipped on U.S.-flagged vessels. While recent reforms in the farm bill provide some administrative funds to be used for such things as locally and regionally purchased food aid and/or food vouchers, this limited flexibility must be executed in tandem with U.S.-purchased commodities. The cargo and commodity preferences create inefficiencies that undermine the program's ability to get maximum impact in addressing poverty and suffering with U.S. food aid dollars.
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