Public Law 480 Title I: Economic and Market Development Objectives Not Met (Testimony, 08/03/94, GAO/T-GGD-94-191). Through the Public Law 480 title I food aid program, U.S. agricultural commodities are sold to developing countries on long-term credit at below-market interest rates. When this food aid legislation was enacted in 1954, its objectives were to export large amounts of surplus U.S. agricultural commodities and serve U.S. international policy interests. Today, however, title I is less important in terms of reducing U.S. agricultural surpluses and its share of U.S. agricultural exports and world food aid has decreased significantly. Although 1990 legislation streamlined title I program management and simplified implementation requirements overseas, the revisions did not improve the program's ability to promote broad-based sustainable development and expand markets for U.S. agricultural commodities. The program does move U.S. agricultural commodities to foreign markets, but the title I program is encumbered with multiple and sometimes competing objectives as well as contradictory program requirements. As now structured, the program appears unable to significantly advance either the economic development or market development objectives of the 1990 legislation. --------------------------- Indexing Terms ----------------------------- REPORTNUM: T-GGD-94-191 TITLE: Public Law 480 Title I: Economic and Market Development Objectives Not Met DATE: 08/03/94 SUBJECT: International food programs Federal aid to foreign countries Foreign economic assistance International relations Food relief programs Agricultural assistance Developing countries Foreign aid programs Agency missions Program management IDENTIFIER: Persian Gulf War USDA Export Enhancement Program USDA Sunflowerseed Oil Assistance Program USDA Cottonseed Oil Assistance Program USDA Dairy Export Incentive Program USDA GSM-102 Program USDA GSM-103 Program USDA Market Promotion Program International Monetary Fund ------------------------------------------------------------------------ We regret that electronic text of GAO Testimony is not available at this time. See the GAO FAQ - Section 2.0 for printed copy ordering information. The FAQ is automatically retrieved with all WAIS search results or can be obtained by sending e-mail to: [email protected]