Pursuit's Take
Cargo preference laws require that a percentage of U.S. government cargo, including international food aid, be transported on U.S.-flag vessels according to geographic area of destination and vessel type.
One intention is to ensure a merchant marine—both vessels and mariners— capable of providing sealift capacity in times of war or national emergency, including a full, prolonged activation of the reserve fleet.
Cargo preference for food aid (CPFA) requirements increased the overall cost of shipping food aid by an average of 23 percent, or $107 million, over what the cost would have been had CPFA requirements not been applied from April 2011 through fiscal year 2014.
USAID officials cited potential benefits of eliminating CPFA, and USDA cited both potential benefits and negative effects.