Foreign Agricultural Service
In 1882, the United States Department of Agriculture sent Edmund Moffat to London as its first employee abroad. He held the title of statistical agent but also carried the status of Deputy Consul General on the State Department roster. This dual role allowed him to operate within British diplomatic lists while gathering market data for Washington. His assignment marked the beginning of a series of units that would eventually grow into a full foreign affairs agency. By 1901, the Section of Foreign Markets employed seven people and began analyzing global competition. These early efforts focused on collecting time-sensitive information about agricultural commodities rather than negotiating trade deals.
During World War II, the Office of Foreign Agricultural Relations managed food aid programs authorized by President Roosevelt in 1941. Congress approved $1.35 billion in assistance for Great Britain, marking the start of large-scale international food distribution. Leslie A. Wheeler led negotiations that created the International Wheat Council and helped Latin American nations develop their own agriculture. Strategic concerns drove these efforts to keep Nazi Germany from gaining influence in South America. OFAR analyzed food availability across allied and enemy lines and promoted the stockpiling of 100 million bushels of wheat for post-war refugees. By 1953, roughly 400 specialists worked on development programs in 27 countries, balancing anti-communist goals with export promotion and diet improvement.
Trade tensions erupted in 1962 when the European Economic Community imposed protective tariffs on U.S. poultry meat. This conflict became known as the Chicken War after President Kennedy raised tariffs on textiles, carpets, glass, and bicycles. FAS negotiators including Rolland Bud Anderson supported talks that resulted in the EEC paying $26 million in damages. Despite this victory, exports of these products to Europe soon became insignificant according to Anderson's assessment. The dispute set a precedent for future conflicts like the 2002 Poultry War involving Russia and disputes over beef treated with growth promotants. These events highlighted how agricultural policy could quickly escalate into broader geopolitical friction between major trading partners.
A short grain crop in the USSR during 1972 led to what critics called the Great Grain Robbery. FAS attachés missed observing severe drought conditions because mid-spring surveys had suggested normal yields. Private multinational traders locked in supplies at low subsidized prices before other nations realized the scale of Soviet needs. International consumers scrambled for remaining stock at significantly higher costs. This failure prompted the creation of a satellite imagery unit within FAS for remote sensing of foreign crops. It also established an export sales reporting requirement for U.S. grain exporters and emphasized the need for boots-on-the-ground observation in critical countries. A long-term grain agreement followed with the Soviet Union to prevent similar intelligence gaps from recurring.
FAS has managed food assistance programs since 1941 using various statutory authorities including Section 416(b) of the Agricultural Act of 1949. Public Law 480 authorized concessional sales allowing agreements to bypass Senate advice and consent procedures. The Food for Progress program created by the 1985 Farm Bill facilitated delivery through non-governmental organizations alongside foreign governments. Recent additions include the McGovern-Dole International Food for Education and Child Nutrition Program authorized by the 2002 Farm Bill. This initiative supports school feeding programs in less developed countries while reserving authority for maternal and child health initiatives. Funding sources have varied since the pilot Global Food for Education program deployed in fiscal year 2001 combining appropriated funds with Commodity Credit Corporation borrowing authority.
In 2003, FAS posted agricultural officers to Baghdad not for traditional market intelligence but to reconstruct the Iraqi Ministry of Agriculture. The agency began organizing USDA contributions to Provincial Reconstruction Teams operating in both Iraq and Afghanistan. This marked a return to national security work after a nine-year hiatus from international development missions at USDA. Secretary Tom Vilsack pledged to expand that work despite controversy surrounding the agency's role in military operations. Critics debated whether FAS should focus on economic development or support broader strategic objectives. The agency continued its traditional mission while simultaneously engaging in reconstruction efforts that required close coordination with USAID and other assistance organizations.
Continue Browsing
Common questions
When did the United States Department of Agriculture send its first employee abroad to London?
The United States Department of Agriculture sent Edmund Moffat to London in 1882 as its first employee abroad. He held the title of statistical agent and carried the status of Deputy Consul General on the State Department roster.
What was the purpose of the Office of Foreign Agricultural Relations during World War II?
The Office of Foreign Agricultural Relations managed food aid programs authorized by President Roosevelt in 1941. Congress approved $1.35 billion in assistance for Great Britain, marking the start of large-scale international food distribution.
Why is the trade conflict between the United States and the European Economic Community known as the Chicken War?
Trade tensions erupted in 1962 when the European Economic Community imposed protective tariffs on U.S. poultry meat. This conflict became known as the Chicken War after President Kennedy raised tariffs on textiles, carpets, glass, and bicycles.
How did the Great Grain Robbery of 1972 change foreign agricultural monitoring practices?
A short grain crop in the USSR during 1972 led to what critics called the Great Grain Robbery. FAS attachés missed observing severe drought conditions because mid-spring surveys had suggested normal yields, which prompted the creation of a satellite imagery unit within FAS for remote sensing of foreign crops.
Which statutory authorities allow the Foreign Agricultural Service to manage food assistance programs since 1941?
FAS has managed food assistance programs since 1941 using various statutory authorities including Section 416(b) of the Agricultural Act of 1949. Public Law 480 authorized concessional sales allowing agreements to bypass Senate advice and consent procedures.