SIDEBAR: A Question of Purpose
Jul 31, 2020128.3K Shares5.8M Views
The Food for Peace program was launched in 1954 as a consequence of a farmer-protection policy under which the federal government bought up crops when prices fell below a certain level. As the stockpiles grew, officials realized that paying to store rotting food was no good way to spend taxpayer dollars. But nor could they return the stocks to the same market where they’d just snatched them, lest they drive down prices again. The solution became to look overseas.
“The real motivator here was surplus disposal,” said Christopher Barrett, a Cornell University economics professor specializing in food aid.
“Helping the poor,” added Kimberly Elliot, a senior fellow at the Center for Global Development, “was almost a sidebar.”
As farm policy changed, the surpluses disappeared and Washington moved to the system of buying food-aid crops on the open market that exists today. Subject to the 1954 law, however, those crops must be purchased from U.S. growers, processed through U.S. companies, and shipped using U.S.-flagged vessels.
It has evolved into a robust industry, for the United States is far and away the largest donor of food aid in the world. In fiscal 2007, Washington spent about $2.1 billion on all foreign food aid initiatives, according to U.S. AID. Roughly $1.9 billion of that went to the Food for Peace program, most of it targeting crises in Africa.
Dexter Cooke
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Dexter Cooke is an economist, marketing strategist, and orthopedic surgeon with over 20 years of experience crafting compelling narratives that resonate worldwide.
He holds a Journalism degree from Columbia University, an Economics background from Yale University, and a medical degree with a postdoctoral fellowship in orthopedic medicine from the Medical University of South Carolina.
Dexter’s insights into media, economics, and marketing shine through his prolific contributions to respected publications and advisory roles for influential organizations.
As an orthopedic surgeon specializing in minimally invasive knee replacement surgery and laparoscopic procedures, Dexter prioritizes patient care above all.
Outside his professional pursuits, Dexter enjoys collecting vintage watches, studying ancient civilizations, learning about astronomy, and participating in charity runs.
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