By Jamie Martin
Agricultural groups and bipartisan lawmakers are working to move the Food for Peace program from the U.S. Department of State to the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). Representative Tom Suozzi recently joined 48 Republican sponsors of H.R.1207 and S.525 to support the change, emphasizing the need for stronger agricultural oversight.
The Food for Peace program is the only U.S.-grown in-kind food aid initiative not run by the USDA. Fly-in participants from wheat, sorghum, soybean, milling, maritime, and rail sectors highlighted that the State Department has not purchased wheat this year, risking the loss of funds and shipments before the September 30 fiscal year end.
Created more than 70 years ago by U.S. wheat farmers to assist countries recovering from World War II, the program has fed millions while building global markets for American crops.
Supporters say USDA is better positioned to manage the program because it already handles other in-kind food programs, such as McGovern-Dole Food for Education and Food for Progress.
“It has been incredibly frustrating for wheat farmers to see increased stocks of competitively priced wheat sitting unused while the State Department has yet to make a single wheat purchase since taking over the program,” said Jamie Kress, NAWG vice president and Idaho wheat farmer, who participated in the fly-in. “This program routinely utilizes around one million tons of wheat annually, but now is in real danger of not shipping any wheat this year. The program likely will leave substantial funds unspent at the end of the fiscal year on September 30, despite a long history of success.”
Given congressional gridlock, advocates hope to include the measure in a must-pass bill like the Senate agricultural appropriations bill or the next Farm Bill.
Farmers insist that moving the program ensures U.S. crops continue to reach people in need and maintains farmer involvement, fulfilling the original mission of providing humanitarian food aid and supporting future global markets for American agriculture.
Photo Credits: gettyimages-valentinrussanov
Categories: National