Summary: The House of Representatives' "Right-to-Food-Resolution" provided reaffirmation of its commitments to feed America's own hungry citizens, and it stressed the importance of taking hunger and food distribution into account in the formulation of U.S. foreign policy. Congress has also expressed its concern for establishing a flexible agricultural policy, solving the problem of whether it should intervene in the nation's food export market, and identifying the goals of a national food policy. In its efforts to assist Congress in assessing the directions that the national food policy should take, GAO has conducted studies in the area of U.S. exports of agricultural commodities. These studies resulted in the recommendations that the government establish a reporting system with private exporters to learn of impending large sales to nonmarket economies, and develop a cohesive export policy giving consideration to domestic needs, commercial customers, and concessionary exports. Some degree of government management of grain supplies and exports is needed. A broad American food policy is also needed in order to balance the interests of American farmers and consumers, cash-paying customers abroad, and the poor nations.
