USDA Resumes Some International Food Aid Programs Utilizing U.S. Rice

ARLINGTON, VA – Last week, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) awarded a tender of 26,500 MT of bulk milled rice for its Food for Progress program.  Food for Progress, through which the rice industry has amassed sales of more than 175,000 MT over the past five years, is one of USDA’s flagship international food assistance programs, and serves as an agricultural and economic development program in countries around the world.
 
This award, along with several recent smaller awards of fortified rice for McGovern-Dole school feeding projects, offers reassurance at an uncertain time for the rice industry.  Following several weeks of pauses while the incoming Trump Administration officials reviewed projects and clarified policies around U.S. funding for international aid, the restart of these critical programs is a welcome development.
 
“International food aid has been a critical part of the U.S. rice industry’s history for nearly a century, using our efficiency and abundance to benefit both the U.S. rice farmer but also benefit those hundreds of millions of recipients around the world,” said USA Rice President & CEO Peter Bachmann.  “Last week’s tender was a small shot in the arm for our industry at a time when our markets are in dire need, and we are hopeful that the remainder of U.S. food-based international aid continues to flow throughout this fiscal year as Congress intended.”
 
In addition to our work supporting the two major USDA international food aid programs, USA Rice has endorsed bills in both the House and the Senate led by Senators Jerry Moran (R-KS) and John Hoeven (R-ND) and Reps. Rick Crawford (R-AR), Tracey Mann (R-KS), and a number of others to move the largest of the international food aid programs, Food for Peace, completely to the USDA.  This legislation is the first step in the process to ensuring the long-time goal of USA Rice – using more U.S. agricultural commodities in this program – is accomplished.