The Agriculture Department, the U.S. land grant university system, farm organizations and agribusiness should be more prominent in international agricultural development efforts, working with development and humanitarian programs administered by the U.S. Agency for International Development, a coalition of farm and international development organizations and foundations has written to the leaders of the House and Senate agriculture committees and and foreign affairs committees.

The letter, distributed by the American Soybean Association, reflects concerns that USAID and the White House have consulted organizations that are often critical of U.S. agriculture in their proposals to change food aid and international agricultural development programs.

House Agriculture Committee Chairman Michael Conaway, R-Texas, said this week at a hearing that he believes the Obama administration should consult the agriculture community, and House Agriculture ranking member Collin Peterson, D-Minn., said he sees no need to change food aid until the next farm bill.

Farm group letter on food security