USA – U.S. Wheat Associates (USW) has announced its support for the newly released Farm, Food, and National Security Act of 2024, applauding the House Agriculture Committee for including crucial reforms to U.S. international food aid programs.
These changes aim to feed more people without increasing taxpayer expenditure.
The coalition backing these reforms includes the North American Millers’ Association (NAMA), the National Association of Wheat Growers, the Midwest Dry Bean Coalition, USA Rice, and the AFL-CIO.
They collectively praised the bill for its potential to enhance U.S. food aid initiatives’ effectiveness significantly.
A key feature of the Farm, Food, and National Security Act of 2024 is establishing a 50 percent minimum requirement for U.S. commodities and ocean shipping in the Food for Peace program.
This ensures that at least half of the program’s budget is directly allocated to providing food to the hungry worldwide. The Act also retains a significant role for the USDA and American farmers, millers, and shippers, who have been integral to the Food for Peace program since its inception.
Moreover, the bill simplifies the mechanism for releasing the Bill Emerson Humanitarian Trust, enabling quicker and more effective responses to hunger crises.
This streamlined approach is expected to enhance the program’s ability to meet urgent needs efficiently.
Peter Laudeman, USW Director of Trade Policy, emphasized the importance of these reforms: “The Farm, Food, and National Security Act of 2024 sends a clear message that Food for Peace should deliver as much American-grown food to as many hungry people as possible. This is a mission that U.S. wheat farmers are proud to support, and we look forward to seeing these important reforms carried through the farm bill process.”
USW’s partners echoed their strong support for the measure. Kim Cooper, Vice President of Government Affairs for NAMA, emphasized the significant impact of the reforms, noting that the food aid changes in the House farm bill will ensure more food reaches the mouths of hungry people worldwide.
Mark Clements, Executive Secretary-Treasurer of the Maritime Trades Department, AFL-CIO, reaffirmed labor’s longstanding support for the Food for Peace program: “American labor has long supported the Food for Peace program and is proud to endorse these provisions in the Farm, Food, and National Security Act of 2024 that ensure our nation continues its leadership in the fight against global hunger.”
U.S. Wheat Associates (USW) aims to develop, maintain, and expand international markets to enhance the profitability of U.S. wheat producers and the value of their products.
USW operates in over 100 countries, supported by producer checkoff dollars from 17 state wheat commissions and cost-share funding from USDA’s Foreign Agricultural Service.
With 15 strategically located offices worldwide, USW helps wheat buyers, millers, bakers, wheat food processors, and government officials understand the quality, value, and reliability of all six classes of U.S. wheat.
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