Concerns over the cost of living, especially rising grocery prices, emerged as a top priority for American voters during the 2024 election cycle. A plurality of both Trump and Harris voters ranked cost of living as their most important issue, while all voters said they were most affected by grocery price increases than any other inflation category. Nine months later, the issue has lingered in the political spotlight, as it remained on voters’ minds in the contentious NYC mayoral primary and sparked debates over the impact of tariffs on consumer prices.

Though often overlooked, global food market stability directly impacts American consumer prices. One Brookings study found that “unanticipated declines in global food production… (increases) not only food prices but also core inflation and even energy prices.” The Famine Early Warning Systems Network (FEWS NET) is one tool of American international assistance that helps mitigate global food shocks, and in turn their impact on American consumers.

A Proven Tool for Preventing Global Food Crises

President Reagan created FEWS NET in 1985 in response to a deadly famine in Ethiopia, aiming to predict and address similar crises in the future. Today, data collected and published by FEWS NET is used by governments and humanitarian organizations across the globe to coordinate their aid efforts and advocate for financial support.

The strategic value of FEWS NET was demonstrated in early 2020, when it issued warnings of an impending desert locust crisis in Ethiopia, Somalia, and surrounding areas. Using data from FEWS NET in their appeal for funding, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) mounted an effective response operation armed with $230.5 million in donations. As a result of FEWS NET’s early alerts, the FAO saved 4.5 million tons of crops and 900 million liters of milk (accounting for $1.77 billion in commercial value) through the treatment of locust-infested lands, and the crisis was contained by the end of 2021.

Had this response been delayed or lacked the reliable data provided by FEWS NET, the impact on American grocery prices would have been significant. Experts warned that without proper control, the locust upsurge could have “implications to the global grain supply,” potentially spreading to affect a broader region that in total produces 426 million metric tons of grain per year – 9 million more than the U.S. and 16% of global production. Similar supply shocks have significantly impacted American consumers: U.S. grain prices rose by 24.1% in four months after Russia invaded Ukraine in 2022, as grain exports from both countries were disrupted and international demand for American grain increased.

Maintaining FEWS NET’s Reliability

As global food systems face increasing pressures from climate change and regional conflicts, FEWS NET remains an essential tool for maintaining market stability, though its future is uncertain. Control of FEWS NET was shifted to the State Department this past month, along with many other former-USAID programs. During this reorganization period, it is crucial to ensure that this valuable resource remains fully funded and operational, especially after it had been left offline for months as a result of initial international assistance cuts in early 2025. With Fiscal Year 2026 budget negotiations in progress, lawmakers must recognize and respect the program’s unique ability to prevent supply disruptions, protecting both vulnerable populations abroad and American consumers’ capacity to feed themselves and their families.