PME2 - Economic & Food Security Implications of US Foreign Assistance Closures for US Farmers and FQHCs

Session Description: Although the dismantling of USAID and US foreign assistance initiatives have faded from the news cycle, the implications have reverberated both globally and domestically to American farmers and US supply chains.

USAID has long purchased American-grown commodities for its global nutrition programs, providing a stable market for U.S. farmers while advancing food security abroad. With these programs slashed or eliminated, farmers face mounting surpluses and economic hardship for farmers. These cuts also implicate the scaling back of the supply chains of the same nutritious and therapeutic crops used to feed communities. These economic shocks reverberate through rural communities, including patients, providers, and other professionals trying to serve their populations. The ripple effect is also being felt by agricultural workers who are being impacted by these disruptions and rely on CHCs for their primary care. This session will explore how this policy change will have a negative impact on rural/health center communities.

This session aims to bring together agricultural experts, health professionals, and policy advocates to examine how foreign aid decisions affect domestic food systems and public health. There will be an emphasis placed on the impact of rural populations that seek their primary health care from CHCs. Attendees will gain insight into the interconnectedness of global aid, rural economies, and nutrition-based care, and leave with strategies to advocate for policies that support both international development and American communities.