This morning, the National Association of Wheat Growers (NAWG) and U.S. Wheat Associates (USW) joined organizations representing wheat, rice and sorghum growers as well as the U.S. milling and maritime industry, the World Food Programme (WFP) and U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) officials in celebrating the latest donation of U.S. commodities through the Food for Peace program at a portside event in New Orleans, Louisiana.
The U.S.-flagged Liberty Grace was loaded with 28,420 MT of Louisiana rice and will now travel to Houston to be loaded with 19,980 MT of U.S. HRW wheat before departing for the Port of Mombasa in Kenya. Through distribution under the World Food Program, the shipment is estimated to feed more than one million people facing starvation for an entire year.
The New Orleans event also commemorated the shift of the administration of the Food for Peace program to USDA. USDA Deputy Under Secretary for Trade and Foreign Agricultural Affairs Michelle Bekkering attended the event in recognition of the agency’s new leadership for this program and its proven track record in administering the other U.S. in-kind food assistance programs.
“The shipment we’re sending to help those in dire need around the world is a testament not only to the abundance of U.S. agriculture, but more importantly, to the generosity of the American farmer and the bounty they produce,” said Deputy Under Secretary Bekkering. “This massive shipment also showcases the strength of our historic partnership with U.S. commodity groups, our friends at our merchant marine workforce, and the World Food Program. Together, we’re helping those in need today and fostering true self-reliance tomorrow. Through our suite of USDA food assistance programs, we’re not just saving lives, we’re changing them.”
This is the second bulk vessel loaded with Food for Peace donations that the USDA has shipped this summer, both of which contained substantial volumes of U.S. wheat. The earlier departure of the U.S.-flagged Liberty Glory from Houston carried a Food for Peace shipment of 9,200 MT of U.S. HRW wheat and 37,700 MT of U.S. sorghum bound for Ethiopia.
The U.S. has a long history of administering the largest, most reliable and most effective international food assistance programs in the world. Wheat farmers have been champions of U.S. food aid assistance since before today’s programs came into existence. U.S.-grown wheat has remained an important commodity for food assistance, often representing half of the bulk in-kind aid and routinely using around one million metric tons of U.S. wheat annually.
“As a farmer, I take great pride in helping feed the world’s most vulnerable populations. Today’s shipment underscores the vital role U.S. commodities play in international food aid. U.S.-grown wheat is a cornerstone of global food security and humanitarian response, providing nutritious food to those in need while creating demand for American-grown crops that supports rural economies, farm families, and America’s leadership around the world. USDA has been an outstanding partner in administering the Food for Peace program, and we urge congress to make this transfer permanent,” said Jamie Kress, NAGW president and Idaho farmer.
“Wheat farmers have championed U.S. food aid assistance for more than 70 years, since a northwest Kansas farmer first proposed that sharing abundant harvests could help feed those in need around the world,” said Gary Millershaski, USW chairman and Kansas wheat farmer. “Today, we are proud to be here with USDA and support the agency as they take the helm of the Food for Peace program. This bulk vessel will carry U.S.-grown wheat across the ocean to help feed hungry families. As a farmer, this echoes the lessons I was taught being raised on the farm: If a neighbor is in need, you lend a helping hand. It’s just what we do.”
The Food for Peace shipments demonstrate the success of putting food in the hands of those who need it most, while also supporting U.S. farmers. Through this program, U.S. farmers have helped feed more than four billion people in more than 150 countries, which is why it has the strong support of the organizations representing U.S. farmers, millers and more, including USW, NAWG, the USA Rice Federation, National Sorghum Producers (NSP), and the North American Millers’ Association (NAMA).
