The agricultural community is concerned with indications that the administration’s FY 2014 budget will cut the Food for Peace (PL-480) and Food for Progress programs. In a letter to President Barack Obama, over 70 nonprofit, farm, commodity, labor and other organizations objected to the indicated change. The groups noted, “In addition to fighting global hunger and facilitating developmental programs to end the cycle of hunger, these programs are also some of our most effective, lowest-cost national security tools. Bags of U.S-grown food bearing the U.S. flag and stamped as ‘From the American People’ serve as ambassadors of our nation’s goodwill, which can help address the root causes of instability. In a time of growing global food insecurity and extremism, these programs need to be expanded, not eliminated.” Those signing the letter included American Maritime Congress, American Soybean Association, Feed the Children, National Association of Wheat Growers, National Corn Growers Association, National Cotton Council, National Farmers Union, Seafarers International Union and U.S. Rice Federation. A bipartisan group of 21 senators also wrote the administration objecting to the proposed cuts.