Summary: The critical food, agriculture, and nutrition issues facing Congress and the Nation are identified and described as part of a continuing reassessment of critical national issues and as an aid in setting audit objectives. National and global factors affecting the food system are becoming increasingly uncertain, and the ability to respond to this uncertainty will depend on how effectively the food system is managed. Higher consumer food prices, unstable farm prices, limits on the resources of the industrialized food system, and food impact in world affairs have created new challenges for the 1980's which will warrant Government action. It is believed that efforts will continue to develop a national food policy incorporating the goals of the current agricultural, nutritional, food delivery, and international food systems. The underlying objectives upon which this policy will be determined are: developing and coordinating national and international food policies; fulfilling the Nation's commitment to help meet world food demand through humanitarian measures and commercial exports; assuring the availability of safe, nutritious food for all segments of the population; and maintaining the economic strength of the food system.
