Agricultural Disposals as Foreign Aid: An Appraisal

Abstract

The United States Government, over the past several years, has endeavored to utilize its abundance of agricultural commodities for the promotion of economic development in certain foreign locales. The disposal of surplus food and fiber products purportedly serves the dual purpose of alleviation of domestic over-production and assistance to underdeveloped countries engaged in a struggle for economic advancement. The two programs which attempt an integration of surplus disposal with foreign economic assistance are Section 402 of the Mutual Security Act and the Agricultural Trade Development and Assistance Act (PL 480).