Food Aid Reform NOW!

When the weaponization and catastrophe of resources stricken people without food and water, we ask ourselves how much can we do to help? The United States currently sends food aid oversees in humanitarian crisis. Whether caused by drought, political disparity or natural disasters, USAID sends delivers food via Food for Peace. This program began in 1954 dedicating most of the food it buys to American farmers who then ship the food to the respective country in need. However, when we buy food from the Midwest, put it on the train to South Carolina, and then transport the food wearily on a ship, we can triple the amount of time people suffer.  It also undermines the local markets in developing countries. When we look at Somali crisis in 2011, we can see how food is not going to the right places and arriving too late. Approximately 260,000 people died because of lack of access to food. The simple conclusion is we need to do better.

We can do better. Oxfam America began its food aid reform campaign last May. Food Aid reform has a few major goals which include supporting local farmers by buying directly from farmers of the catastrophe area, faster delivery of food to people in dire need, stretching the tax payer dollar to make food aid more efficient, and reduce carbon footprint. With continued efforts and the help of citizens signing petitions, the food aid reform plan Oxfam set forth was passed in the Senate Agricultural bill. Unfortunately, the political game clouts the importance of food aid reform. The Agricultural Appropriations bill, or "the farm bill", continues volleying in the tennis match between the House and Senate.

On April 10 of this year, President Obama set the presidential 2014 Fiscal Year budget. It highlighted effective food aid and shifted the majority of food assistance from the Agriculture Appropriations bill to the State, Foreign Operations Appropriations bill. Changes include several major goals:

1. Taking 45% of appropriations for food aid to buy food local to disaster or catastrophe
2. Proposes major reforms to make food aid more cost-effective and have greater impact, while maintaining robust levels of emergency food assistance and related development assistance and creating a new $75 million Emergency Food Assistance Contingency Fund.
3. Provides a total of $47.8 billion in discretionary funding for the Department of State and U.S. Agency for International Development, a decrease of six percent from the 2012 enacted level, due to lower Overseas Contingency Operations activity. 
4.  It also offers the shipping industry a $25 million subsidy to offset loss from decreased use for food aid shipment.

We have proposed a better food aid program and the President clearly took notice. His extensive plan takes money and invests it into successful food programs. Administrator for USAID, Dr. Rajiv Shah, also supports this program. Secretary of State John Kerry joins in bi-partisan support of the change.

Oxfam estimates that this reform will reach upwards of 17 million more people. Programs like this place cash directly into hands of people in need. We know that it works. Take the case study of Emiliana Aligaesha that provides evidence for success of these programs. Ms. Aligaesha found herself a widow and mother of eight children. Her salary as a teacher could not support all of her children for the basics of food, water, and education. Teaching herself how to farm, she joined several farmers in her community to create the Kaderes Peasants development. The coffee they produce and beans, maize and bananas they grew and harvested serve as a means for USAID and the World Food Programme to buy and distribute. This process supports her agricultural business to take care of her family. She has power to control her destiny and welfare supported by effective food aid assistance.  

Bold effective poverty-focused food aid reform is what we need. It opens further discussion for addressing issues with hunger, poverty and injustice. The program of food aid is absolutely American in principle. It only utilizes approximately 0.55% of the U.S. GDP. By saving more lives, this program strengthens the value of every cent of taxpayer money. After the twenty nine action corps leaders took to lobby in Washington D.C., progress to pass effective food aid reform remains uncertain. We need your help to lobby, write, and show support for effective food aid reform. 

CALL TO ACTION

Take a moment to write a post card or letter to Senator Durbin, Senator Kirk, House Representative Quigley and your district's representatives today! Below is a sample letter.

Dear (Insert respective Congressional Representative name),

My name is (insert name), a constituent from (insert city). I work as a (insert occupation and/or role in community). I am also a supporter of Oxfam America (option to insert number of years you have been involved with the Action Corps).

I am writing to urge the you to support the food aid reform proposed in the President’s budget request for Fiscal Year 2014. Specifically, I am asking to support shifting the Food for Peace program and 302b allocation from the Agriculture budget to the State and Foreign Operations budget. This is key to reform because it will ensure the US government has the flexibility it needs to provide life saving emergency food assistance where it is most in the fastest and most cost effective way.

Food Aid reform has bipartisan support – and it will mean that life-saving food aid reaches two to four million additional people every year at no additional cost to taxpayers.

My address is listed here. I appreciate the (Senator/Representative) informing me how s/he plans to stand on this issue. We look forward to hearing from the office.

Thank you for your time. For more information please feel free to contact our Oxfam Action Corps Representatives at chicago@oxfamactioncorps.com or Adam Olson, Regional Advocacy Director of Oxfam America at aolson@oxfamamerica.com

Best Regards,

Want to add a two-page informational brochure with your letter? Please email us and we can send you the document. It takes a matter of 15 minutes to write a letter and make your voice heard. Together, we can make effective poverty-focused developmental assistance a reality. 

Thank you in advance.

-Megan Nakra