USDA Earmarks $212 million for Food for Progress Program

WASHINGTON—The U.S. Department of Agriculture announced plans for $212 million in international assistance under Food for Progress in the current fiscal year of 2009. The commodity donations will benefit more than 7.5 million people in 13 countries in Africa, Asia, Latin America and the Middle East.

"Food for Progress has consistently helped developing countries advance economic reform and expand private enterprise," said USDA Secretary Ed Schafer. "We have done a world of good, providing electric power for rural families in the Philippines and training hundreds of school teachers in Mozambique, and with today's announcement, we will continue to do much more."

Allocations include more than 280,000 metric tons of U.S. wheat and wheat flour, soybean and vegetable oil, soybean meal and yellow corn that will be purchased on the U.S. market and donated by USDA. The commodities will go to private voluntary organizations and foreign governments that will implement agricultural and rural development projects, while helping to address food shortages. The development projects are funded by sales of the donated U.S. commodities within the recipient countries. Approved projects will support agricultural and rural development, while helping to address food shortages.

Food for Progress provides U.S. agricultural commodities to developing countries and emerging democracies committed to introducing and expanding free enterprise in the agricultural sector. Commodities are currently provided on a donation basis to foreign governments, private voluntary organizations, non-profit organizations, cooperatives or intergovernmental organizations. Projects were chosen based on their agricultural focus, the country's needs, the proposal's quality and the organization's management, experience and financial and technical capabilities.