Agriculture and Food Aid in US Policymaking during the Cold War
Agriculture and Food Aid in US Policymaking during the Cold War
- Kristin L. AhlbergKristin L. AhlbergOffice of the Historian, United States Department of State
Summary
In the 20th century, US policymakers often attempted to solve domestic agricultural oversupply problems by extending food aid to foreign recipients. In some instances, the United States donated food in times of natural disasters. In other instances, the United States offered commodities to induce foreign governments to support US foreign policy aims or to spur agricultural modernization. These efforts coalesced during the 1950s with the enactment of Public Law 480, commonly known as the Food for Peace program, which provided for a formal, bureaucratic mechanism for the disbursement of commodities. Throughout the second half of the 20th century, successive presidential administrations continued to deploy commodities in advance of their often disparate foreign policy objectives.
Keywords
Subjects
- Foreign Relations and Foreign Policy
