Opening markets and leveling the playing field is more important than ever. We cannot afford to remain on the sidelines while other countries use similar export programs to capture our markets. The GSM program is an export credit guarantee for commercial financing of U.S. agricultural exports. The programs encourage exports to buyers in countries where credit is necessary to maintain or increase U.S. sales, but where financing may not be available without such credit guarantees. Title I of the PL 480 program is used to provide overseas food aid, also known as Food for Peace, which includes concessional sales.
Food aid is vitally important to many developing countries around the world.
Farm Bureau supports a 10 percent increase in food aid programs. The DEIP helps exporters of U.S. dairy products meet prevailing world prices for targeted dairy products and destinations. The major objective of the program is to develop export markets for dairy products where U.S. products are not competitive because of the presence of subsidized products from other countries. The major objective of the program is to challenge unfair trade practices. The EEP and DEIP programs should be reauthorized at the maximum levels consistent with export subsidy reduction commitments made in the WTO agreement.