‘The Right to Food’

What is our rightful response?

By Robert Gronski

NCRLC policy coordinator, National Catholic Rural Life Conference

The U.S. Catholic Conference of Bishops address the question of hunger and food in their 2004 reflection For I was Hungry & You Gave me Food: “Every person has a right to life and to the material and spiritual support required to live a truly human existence. The right to a truly human life logically leads to the right to enough food to sustain a life with dignity. The poverty and hunger that diminish the lives of millions in our own land and in so many other countries are fundamental threats to human life and dignity and demand a response from believers.”(p.16)

More than 800 million people suffer from hunger and malnutrition, and the majority are children. Ending chronic hunger is an achievable goal if nations, industrialized and developing ones, work together and make the right policy decisions. Throughout the 20th century, American farmers took great pride in helping to feed the world. But in this new century of globalization, what is the rightful response to food security and a dignified life?

In this harvest time of year when the American bounty seems plentiful, we are often asked to make charitable donations as a way to share our own blessings of food. We respond through contributions to local food pantries as well as to overseas appeals. The National Catholic Rural Life Conference believes we can also act when it comes to federal policy. International food aid is the U.S. Government’s major response to reducing global hunger. In the name of the American people, the federal government provides more than 3 million metric tons of U.S. agricultural commodities annually. However, the $2 billion spent each year in such assistance includes paying for time-consuming and long-distance shipping.

The U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) has found that overhead expenses consume about 65 percent of our emergency food aid funding. That means most of the $2 billion goes elsewhere than actual food purchases for those who hunger. The U.S. Farm Bill, currently under revision by Congress, has become a battleground over how the United States as the top international donor of food aid should help the world’s hungry. The current system of food aid benefits as much as anyone the handful of corporations who control commodity crops or the cargo ships. Their lobbyists and farm commodity groups who have a stake in the current system aggressively lobby to maintain the status quo.

The U.S. Bishops and NCRLC are concerned because agriculture and food policies in the U.S. should not adversely impact the agriculture and livelihoods of others around the world. NCRLC takes seriously the argument that large shipments of food aid will often depress food prices below levels in which local farmers can earn a decent return and begin to rebuild the local economy. Recently, the relief agency CARE turned down $45 million in U.S. government funding to make the point that this could be more rightfully spent purchasing available supplies within the countries or regions affected by pockets of crop losses. The Bush Administration also acknowledges this rightful response, but no reform is forthcoming in the U.S. Congress. The House version of the Farm Bill does not change the outdated food aid system, and the Senate is only considering a pilot program of local food purchases rather than setting new and effective policies.

NCRLC believes we need a reformed Food Aid section in the Farm Bill that specifies a proportionate way to purchase “U.S. food aid” from farmers overseas. This provides more timely assistance while benefiting local producers and their nation’s food security. U.S. farmers won’t lose out. U.S. crops will still be used as emergency aid, stored near countries at risk of food shortages. At the same time, a rightful response is for Congress is to set aside funds (NCRLC agrees with $600 million a year) for longer-term food aid programs designed to bolster agriculture and health in fragile countries. These initiatives can be done in the visionary spirit of Joseph who oversaw the grain reserves of the Pharaoh.

Consider standing in solidarity with our sisters and brothers in developing countries by encouraging Congress to reform food aid programs. At the same time, stand in support of farmers and ranchers in your own communities who work to develop local economies through farmers markets, community supported agriculture, food co-ops, and direct marketing. In the end, it is the care of community and care of creation that will lead to food security for all.

List of websites for more information on Catholic social teachings and food issues:

Catholic Campaign Against Global Poverty: http://www.usccb.org/sdwp/globalpoverty/

U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, Social Development and World Peace: www.usccb.org/sdwp/

Catholic Relief Services: www.crs.org

National Catholic Rural Life Conference: www.ncrlc.com

World Food Day, October 16, 2007; “The Right to Food”: www.fao.org/wfd2007/