March 13, 2007
The Honorable Tom Harkin
Chairman
Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry Committee
U.S. Senate
Hart Office Building Room 731
Washington, DC 20510
Dear Senator Harkin,
As you proceed with your Farm Bill discussions, we bring to your attention the U.S. P.L. 480 Title I, P.L. 480 Title II, McGovern-Dole Food for Education, Food for Progress, and the Bill Emerson Humanitarian Trust food aid programs. Serving as a compassionate bridge between the United States and developing countries, the safe and nutritious U.S. food provided to starving populations abroad through these programs is a source of pride to American farmers, food processors, and agribusinesses.
We believe that U.S. food aid funds, provided by the American taxpayer, should purchase only U.S.-produced commodities for the nation’s food aid programs. Therefore, we do not support the use of P.L. 480 Title II funds for local commodity purchases overseas.
In light of the importance of these humanitarian U.S. food aid programs to their recipients overseas and to the U.S. agricultural community, we request Congress to:
- Reauthorize P.L. 480 Title I. This government-to-government program provides U.S. agricultural commodities to developing countries on credit or grant terms. Concessional credit sales are available to those eligible countries that choose to participate in them for food aid purposes. In addition, Title I funds are a major funding source for Food for Progress, which is discussed more below.
- Reauthorize P.L. 480 Title II. This program provides for the donation of U.S. agricultural commodities to meet emergency and non-emergency food needs in other countries, including support for food security goals. We support a program that is predictable and sufficient to address growing global needs for both emergencies and non-emergencies.
- Reauthorize Food for Progress’ (FFP) Commodity Credit Corporation (CCC) Funding. The FFP program provides for the donation or credit sale of U.S. commodities to developing countries and emerging democracies to support democracy and to assist with the expansion of private enterprise. In addition to its CCC funding, FFP also has received as much as 40% of its funds from P.L. 480 Title I. In the President’s FY2008 budget proposal total FFP funds have been decreased by the amount received from Title I, leaving only CCC as the program’s funding source.
- Reauthorize and Give Permanent Authority for Administration of the McGovern-Dole Food for Education (FFE) Program to the U.S. Department of Agriculture. The FFE program helps support education, child development, and food security for some of the world’s poorest children. It provides for donations of U.S. agricultural products, as well as financial and technical assistance, for school feeding and maternal and child nutrition projects in low-income, food-deficit countries that are committed to universal education. In the 2002 Farm Bill, the President has the authority to designate the administering federal agency. We believe this authority should be given to the U.S. Department of Agriculture permanently.
- Reauthorize the Bill Emerson Humanitarian Trust (BEHT). This program provides for a reserve to meet emergency humanitarian food needs in developing countries. We believe the BEHT should be a more effective and timely tool for use in emergencies.
Thank you for your continued support for our industries and for the support of these programs.
Regards,
American Farm Bureau Federation
American Soybean Association
California Association of Wheat Growers
Global Food & Nutrition Inc.
Illinois Soybean Association
International Food Additives Council
Iowa Soybean Association
Kentucky Soybean Association
Minnesota Soybean Growers Association
National Association of Wheat Growers
National Corn Growers Association
National Oilseed Processors Association
Nebraska Soybean Association
North American Millers’ Association
North Dakota Soybean Growers Association
Tennessee Soybean Association
United States Dry Bean Council
USA Dry Pea and Lentil Council
USA Rice Federation
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