Members of the Kansas congressional delegation have joined an effort to have the USDA take over a program that combats hunger around the world.
The Food for Peace program has been administered by the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), but that agency is being dismantled by the Trump administration. Kansas Senators Jerry Moran and Roger Marshall and Congressman Tracey Mann are part of an effort by the Senate and House Agriculture Committees to transfer the program to the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
Moran said in a press release, “Kansas has a long history of providing food to the hungry beginning with a Kansas farmer suggesting the U.S. provide surplus grain to countries in need, to President Eisenhower establishing the resulting humanitarian aid program, to Senator Bob Dole expanding Food for Peace, to the farmers who grow the crops that feed the world. As part of an ongoing effort to save money and increase efficiency, Food for Peace should be moved to the U.S. Department of Agriculture. By moving this program closer to the producers who grow these crops, we can help reduce waste and make certain our farmers have access to this valuable market. Food stability is essential to political stability, and our food aid programs help feed the hungry, bolster our national security and provide important markets for our farmers.”
Mann also issued a statement saying, “For 70 years, Kansas and American farmers have played an active role in sending their commodities to feed malnourished and starving populations around the world. This free gift from the American people is more than food. It’s diplomacy and feeds the most vulnerable communities while helping them recognize the freedom, prosperity, and good America can establish across the globe. By moving Food for Peace to USDA, the program can continue to equip American producers to serve hungry people while providing more transparency and efficiency as to how taxpayer dollars are stewarded.”
Marshall joined the effort and said, “The USDA understands farmers and food distribution better than any other agency in town, and moving the jurisdiction of Food for Peace under the USDA ensures that American grain is going to the people who need it most.”
Last week, Senator Moran urged Secretary of State Marco Rubio to quickly ship and distribute the American-grown food that was stalled in ports and warehouses in the U.S. and around the world as a result of the State Department’s pause on international assistance. Nearly $560 million worth of American-grown food was at risk of spoiling. On February 8, the State Department provided notices to participating aid organizations to resume shipping and distribution of the stalled American-grown food aid.
