Food Aid Changes Could Hurt
Farmers, Economy
Ashley Stinnett
The Obama administration has recently unveiled
a controversial plan to undo a decade’s-old food aid
program, setting off yet another political Washington
showdown. For the last 60 years, the United States
government has been buying food from American
farmers in order to feed impoverished citizens in 44
countries around the world. In fact, America is the
biggest hunger relief donor in the world. The current
program costs roughly $1.5 billion dollars a year and
relies heavily on homegrown producers. The latest
White House proposal would eliminate the purchase
of food from farmers here at home. If the approved
changes move forward, the government would
purchase food from developing countries.
and North Korea, since these countries continue to
be food-aid recipients. Rwanda, a nation known for
government corruption and mass genocide, is another
beneficiary country. The United States continues to
reward unstable countries with some form of aid.
Earlier this year, instead of punishing Egypt over
the embassy assault, the White House wrote them a
$250 million check. In fact, Egypt receives about $2
billion a year in aid from the United States, which
is the most of any nation except Israel. Never mind
the fact the fundamentally anti-American Muslim
Brotherhood controls the Egyptian government.
Supporters of the food-aid program change believe
these countries will be inspired to grow and sell more
Proponents of the new plan believe the program
local food which will eliminate their own shortages.
would feed an additional 17 million more people
Can you imagine leaving these third-world countries
each year while dramatically reducing shipping time. solely in charge of food distribution? Many of these
Opponents argue the plan would eliminate shipping
nations’ corrupt governments have starved and
jobs and hurt American farm revenue. So far, a
impoverished their own people. U.S. aid to many
bipartisan group of 21 senators have written a letter to of these countries usually ends up in the hands of
President Obama opposing the new changes.
the wrong people, who use it for everything except
actually assisting those in need.
While it is certainly no secret Washington prides
itself on wasteful spending, the answer to fixing
No doubt America needs to save money. The
this program lies in transparency, less regulation
United States is rapidly approaching $17 trillion in
and better management. In an already depressed
debt, due largely in part to out of control spending
economy, most American industries cannot take
and an ever-growing recipient class. Unfortunately,
another financial blow. The Obama administration
neither party will be intellectually honest with the
rightly argues the current plan takes months to get
American people on how to reduce this massive
food to individuals in poor countries. Even though
debt because they are focused on winning elections.
they may be right, sacrificing hundreds of jobs and
Therefore, now is not the time to eliminate more
further damaging the agriculture community all in
jobs. If Washington wants to get serious about saving
the name of “cost and flexibility” is not the right
the agriculture community money while feeding the
solution. The right answer is to better manage what
world more efficiently, it needs to put beneficiary
already works successfully. There are other options
countries under the microscope, loosen up EPA
such as expediting shipping methods while lowering
regulations and push for the elimination of gasoline
transportation costs. However, the most pressing
and other transportation taxes. Couple this strategy
area of solution is government transparency. If
with eliminating aid to foreign nations that have a
the Obama administration wants to look at ways to
hatred for America and the budget would lighten.
improve services while sav