Impact of Food Aid on Agriculture

Food assistance programs like Food for Peace play a crucial role in supporting American farmers by creating international markets for their products. In 2020, the federal government purchased around $2 billion worth of food aid from U.S. farmers, benefiting various agricultural sectors despite this being a small portion of their overall income. Farmers such as Michelle Erickson-Jones highlight the program's significance in fostering relationships with countries like Japan and South Korea, which transitioned from aid recipients to active trading partners. This approach, likened to offering free samples to encourage future purchases, demonstrates how targeted food assistance can bolster both global welfare and U.S. agricultural exports.