§ 1691a — Food Aid To Developing Countries

(a) 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) 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.