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9/30/15

US Food Aid

In advance of the Committee on Agriculture’s hearing entitled “US International Food Aid Programs” later this morning, AEI Visiting Scholar Vincent Smith has released a new report on Cargo Preference for Food Aid (CPFA). Smith explains that reforming US emergency food aid programs by eliminating wasteful practices and maximizing resources would help feed millions more people in dire need.

Key points from the report include:

  • Cargo Preference for Food Aid (CPFA), which requires at least 50 percent of all food aid to be sourced and shipped on US-flagged vessels, resulted in an additional $140 million to $200 million in wasted spending on shipping costs from January 2012 to May 2015.
  • Although the main political rationale for preserving CPFA has been the need to maintain a viable oceangoing fleet of trained mariners for military preparedness, the most militarily useful ships in the US-flagged commercial mercantile fleet carried only 18 percent of all food aid shipments between 2011 and 2013. Food aid shipments accounted for less than 5 percent of those vessels’ total shipping capacity over that same period.
  • By terminating the CPFA, the practice of monetization, and requirements that almost all food aid be sourced in the United States and maintaining current levels of federal funding, US emergency food aid programs could serve an additional 4–10 million people in dire need every year.

For a more detailed analysis, read the full report here: “Military Readiness and Food Aid Cargo Preference: Many Costs and Few Benefits.

To arrange an interview with Vincent Smith, or another AEI scholar, please contact AEI Media Services at 202.862.5829 or mediaservices@aei.org.

Quick Links: 

ONE PAGER: US food aid pouring money down the drain

INFOGRAPHIC: Food aid folly

Why the US food aid system needs reform

A better direction for food aid reform: Allowing markets to help people



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