McGlade Jacqueline
Agric Hist. 2009 Winter;83(1):79-102. doi: 10.3098/ah.2008.83.1.79.
Recently, agriculture has assumed an elevated role in world diplomacy due to pressing issues like international poverty relief, changing environmental conditions, farm trade imbalances, rising food prices, and the diversion of crops into bio-fuel production. Consequently, agricultural interests and production have become increasingly entwined with the politics of national protectionism and identity, domestic security, and the preservation of trading advantage in developed and developing countries alike. This study examines the current impasse in world agricultural negotiations as an outgrowth of US foreign aid and trade policymaking as it evolved during the Cold War. In particular, it chronicles the historic shift in US foreign policy away from "give-away" food aid and surplus sales and toward the championing of global agricultural redevelopment under such programs as the Marshall Plan and PL 480, the Food for Peace program. As more a plowshare than a sword, the American Cold War push for worldwide agricultural modernization led many countries to experience new levels of food self-efficiency and export capabilities. Along with production parity, however, has come escalating levels of trade competition and national protectionism, which challenges again the achievement of world agricultural stability and prosperity.
近来，由于国际扶贫、不断变化的环境状况、农产品贸易失衡、食品价格上涨以及农作物转用于生物燃料生产等紧迫问题，农业在世界外交中发挥着越来越重要的作用。因此，农业利益和生产在发达国家和发展中国家都越来越与国家保护主义和身份认同政治、国内安全以及贸易优势的维护交织在一起。本研究考察了当前世界农业谈判的僵局，这是美国对外援助和贸易政策制定在冷战期间演变的结果。特别是，它记录了美国外交政策从“赠送”粮食援助和过剩农产品销售的历史性转变，转向在马歇尔计划和第480号公法（即“和平粮食”计划）等项目下支持全球农业重建。美国在冷战时期推动全球农业现代化，与其说是出于武力，不如说是为了促进和平，这使得许多国家的粮食自给率和出口能力达到了新水平。然而，随着生产水平的持平，贸易竞争和国家保护主义也在不断升级，这再次对实现世界农业的稳定与繁荣构成挑战。
