§1691a. Food aid to developing countries

(a) Policy

In light of the Uruguay Round Agreement on Agriculture and the Ministerial Decision on Measures Concerning the Possible Negative Effects of the Reform Program on Least-Developed and Net-Food Importing Developing Countries, the United States reaffirms the commitment of the United States to providing food aid to developing countries.

(b) Sense of Congress

It is the sense of Congress that-

(1) in negotiations at the Food Aid Convention, the World Trade Organization, the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization, and other appropriate venues, the President shall-

(A) seek commitments of higher levels of food aid by donors in order to meet the legitimate needs of developing countries;

(B) ensure, to the maximum extent practicable, that humanitarian nongovernmental organizations, recipient country governments, charitable bodies, and international organizations shall continue-

(i) to be eligible to receive resources based on assessments of need conducted by those organizations and entities; and

(ii) to implement food aid programs in agreements with donor countries; and

(C) ensure, to the maximum extent practicable, that options for providing food aid for emergency and nonemergency needs shall not be subject to limitation, including in-kind commodities, provision of funds for agricultural commodity procurement, and monetization of commodities, on the condition that the provision of those commodities or funds-

(i) is based on assessments of need and intended to benefit the food security of, or otherwise assist, recipients, and

(ii) is provided in a manner that avoids disincentives to local agricultural production and marketing and with minimal potential for disruption of commercial markets; and

(2) the United States should increase its contribution of bona fide food assistance to developing countries consistent with the Agreement on Agriculture.

(July 10, 1954, ch. 469, §3, as added Pub. L. 94–161, title II, §202, Dec. 20, 1975, 89 Stat. 851 ; amended Pub. L. 101–624, title XV, §1512, Nov. 28, 1990, 104 Stat. 3633 ; Pub. L. 104–127, title II, §201(a), Apr. 4, 1996, 110 Stat. 951 ; Pub. L. 110–246, title III, §3003, June 18, 2008, 122 Stat. 1821 .)

Editorial Notes

Amendments

2008-Subsec. (b). Pub. L. 110–246 reenacted introductory provisions without change, added par. (1), and struck out former par. (1) which read as follows: "the President should initiate consultations with other donor nations to consider appropriate levels of food aid commitments to meet the legitimate needs of developing countries; and".

1996-Pub. L. 104–127 substituted "Food aid to developing countries" for "Global food aid needs" in section catchline and amended text generally. Prior to amendment, text read as follows: "In view of the principal findings of the National Research Council of the National Academy of Sciences that doubling food aid above 1990 levels of about 10,000,000 metric tons per year would be necessary to meet projected global food needs throughout the decade of the nineties, it is the sense of Congress that the President should-

"(1) increase the contributions of food aid by the United States, and encourage other donor countries to increase their contributions toward meeting new food aid requirements; and

"(2) encourage other advanced nations to make increased food aid contributions to combat world hunger and malnutrition, particularly through the expansion of international food and agricultural assistance programs."

1990-Pub. L. 101–624 amended section generally, substituting present provisions for provisions urging President to maintain United States food assistance and encourage other countries to increase their contributions, in order to meet annual goal of World Food Conference of providing 10,000,000 tons of food assistance annually for needy nations.

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Effective Date of 2008 Amendment

Amendment by Pub. L. 110–246 effective May 22, 2008, see section 4(b) of Pub. L. 110–246, set out as an Effective Date note under section 8701 of this title.

Effective Date of 1990 Amendment

Amendment by Pub. L. 101–624 effective Jan. 1, 1991, see section 1513 of Pub. L. 101–624, set out as a note under section 1691 of this title.

World Food Conference Recommendations

Pub. L. 94–161, title II, §213, Dec. 20, 1975, 89 Stat. 855 , directed the President to strengthen the efforts of the United States to carry out the recommendations of the World Food Conference and to submit a detailed report to the Congress not later than Nov. 1, 1976, prior to repeal by Pub. L. 97–113, title VII, §734(a)(7), Dec. 29, 1981, 95 Stat. 1560 .