For decades, American-produced food has played a central role in the foreign aid strategy of the United States, with a focus on combating worldwide hunger.
The Food for Peace initiative, overseen by the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), has played a pivotal role in addressing global food insecurity. Over the past three years, the program has donated over 1,000,000 tons of wheat per year to hunger hotspots in the Middle East and East Africa.
According to the latest data from the World Bank, across the Middle East and North Africa, one in five people are severely food insecure including eight million children.
A recent shipment of 28,000 metric tons of American-grown wheat on the US-flagged Liberty Glory is the latest example of the Food for Peace program’s commitment to fighting hunger around the world. An event to mark the shipment of food aid was held in the Port of Longview, Washington, and attended by local, state and federal leaders, labor and other stakeholders from around the country.
The shipment comes as Food for Peace is under intense pressure from certain lawmakers working to eliminate shipments of food aid produced by American farmers.
In July, more than 130 organizations and companies sent a letter to Speaker of the House Kevin McCarthy to reject amendments to this year’s spending bill, proposed by Republican congressmen Andy Biggs (AZ-5), Bob Good (VA-05) and Andy Ogles (TN-5), that would eliminate or significantly reduce funding key parts of the Food for Peace program, specifically Title II, as well as the McGovern-Dale International Food for Education program.
Title II of the Food for Peace program specifically focuses on the donation of U.S.-grown agricultural commodities as food aid to countries in need. Under U.S. cargo preference laws, U.S.-flagged merchant ships carry a minimum of 50 percent of U.S.-government impelled food-aid cargoes.
“Food for Peace is one of the most successful humanitarian programs because of the enduring commitment of America’s farmers, millers, port workers, longshoremen and merchant mariners to feeding the world,” said William P. Campbell, Vice President of Operations, Liberty Maritime Corporation, owner of the Liberty Glory. “However, there are some out there who want to eliminate the contribution of America’s farmers and mariners to Food for Peace or end the program entirely. World hunger is at its peak as conflict persists and the traditional breadbasket of Ukraine is disrupted. Against this backdrop, America must stand up and fight hunger and once again be the shining beacon of hope for those around the world. Food for peace is that hope.”
The shipment also comes as the maritime industry and agriculture sector have united to support the American Farmers Feed the World Act, which would ensure that U.S.-grown commodities remain the cornerstone of international food aid.
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