International Food Assistance

This book examines the local and regional procurement for U.S. international emergency food aid. Using federally appropriated funds to procure commodities for international food aid in countries with emergency needs or in nearby countries is a controversial issue. In budget submissions for 2006-2009, the Bush Administration proposed allocating up to 25% of the funds available for U.S. food aid to local or regional procurement (LRP) of food aid commodities. However, each time Congress rejected the proposal. The Administration argued that LRP would increase the timeliness and effectiveness of the U.S. response to overseas food emergencies by eliminating the need to transport commodities by ocean carriers. Congressional and other critics of the local procurement proposal maintain that allowing non-U.S. commodities to be purchased would undermine the coalition of commodity groups, agribusinesses, private voluntary organisations, and shippers that participate in and support the U.S. food aid program and would reduce the volume of U.S. commodities provided as aid.