Don’t Pass the American Farmers Feed the World Act

On June 22, four U.S. House members introduced the American Farmers Feed the World Act, most likely hoping to add its content to the upcoming farm bill. Reps. Tracey Mann (R-Kan.), John Garamendi (D-Calif.), Rick Crawford (R-Ark.), and Jimmy Panetta (D-Calif.) announced that the bill would ensure that the Food for Peace (FFP) program, managed by the U.S. Agency for International Development, would operate as Congress had intended it to function in 1954.

That is, it would reserve at least half of its budget to purchase American-grown commodities and ship them overseas to dispose of domestic surpluses.

While well-meant, the provisions of the America Feeds the World Act will not restore the original intent of the FFP, which raised domestic prices for corn, wheat, soybeans and other row crops by shipping excess grain to low-income countries as aid.

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