Newhouse, Colleagues Lead Effort to Move Food for Peace to USDA

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Rep. Dan Newhouse (R-WA), alongside Reps. Tracey Mann (KS-01), Rick Crawford (AR-01), David Rouzer (NC-07), and GT Thompson (PA-15) introduced legislation to move the Food for Peace program from the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) to the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). 

For the past 70 years, American farmers and shippers have led the effort to combat international hunger through the Food for Peace program that has fed more than 4 billion people in more than 150 countries.

“The Food for Peace program plays a critical role in helping prevent starvation in places around the world that need it most, while also providing American farmers additional market opportunities” said Rep. Newhouse. “Moving this program from USAID to USDA allows a commodity-focused agency to manage and execute the program’s mission while ensuring accountability that funds will be spent responsibly. America must continue to be a global leader in the fight against hunger.” 

“President Trump made a promise to the country to cut wasteful spending, reduce overbearing federal bureaucracy, and to ensure every taxpayer dollar was spent wisely and responsibly,” said Rep. Mann. “I applaud President Trump for upholding that promise and reviewing our federal spending line by line to root out waste, fraud, and abuse while ensuring programs like Food for Peace are in line with his mission and vision. 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. I will continue to work with the Trump Administration to uproot wasteful spending while ensuring America can continue to be the beacon of hope and freedom we are to the rest of the world.”

“Food for Peace is a critical program for American farmers and has a proven track-record of successfully feeding people all over the world,” said Rep. Crawford. “I am encouraged by the Trump Administration taking a fresh look at how we provide foreign assistance, including Food for Peace. I believe a move from USAID to USDA would make program administration more efficient and more in-line with America’s priorities. USDA already runs two international food assistance programs that deal with in-kind food donations, Food for Progress and the McGovern-Dole Food for Education program. This makes USDA a natural home for Food for Peace.”

Senators Jerry Moran (R-KS) and John Hoeven (R-ND) introduced companion legislation in the Senate. 

“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’s expanding Food for Peace, to the farmers who grow the crops that feed the world,” said Senator Moran. “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.”

“Our nation’s farmers and ranchers are the best in the world and work hard to provide food and fuel not only for our nation, but those in need across the globe,” said Senator Hoeven. “The U.S. Department of Agriculture already administer U.S. farmer-based food aid programs and it only makes sense that USDA would oversee the Food for Peace program, as well.” 

Full bill text here.

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