CORRECTION Stakeholder Notice: USDA Purchases 417,000 Metric Tons of US Grown Commodities For America First International Food Assistance Programmes

By Godson Umejiego, Bureau Chief, The Americas

The US Department of Agriculture will provide US$480 million to make America safer, stronger, and more prosperous and strengthen global food security through its two premier international food assistance programmes, McGovern-Dole and Food for Progress. These programmes rely on and support American farmers, ranchers, and producers, who generously share their bounty with the world, and open key markets for American businesses.

For the McGovern-Dole International Food for Education and Child Nutrition Programme, USDA is providing US$240 million in Fiscal Year (FY) 2025 funds to purchase US commodities to support six projects in five countries. Through Food for Progress, USDA is providing US$240 million in FY 2025 funds to purchase US commodities to support eight projects in six countries.

Under both programmes, USDA purchases US-grown commodities from American farmers and producers and provides them to implementing organizations. McGovern-Dole partners will utilize 56,170 metric tons of US grown packaged commodities, a 50 per cent increase from 2024, which will be used to provide critical school meals to vulnerable communities in Benin, Honduras, Mozambique, Pakistan, and Senegal. Food for Progress implementing organizations will sell 361,000 metric tons of US grown commodities, a 12 per cent increase from 2024, in foreign markets and use the proceeds to provide critical support to remove trade barriers, increase imports of crops for agricultural inputs for American business, and ensure market access for American products in Colombia, Ethiopia, Kenya, Vietnam, Nigeria, and Nepal.