USDA approves wheat aid for emergency food programs in East Africa
U.S. Wheat Associates welcomed the announcement of a new wheat shipment approved under the Food for Peace program. The award includes 20,000 metric tons of U.S.-grown wheat that will be used for emergency feeding programs in East Africa.
“We appreciate the efforts of Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins, Under Secretary for Trade and Foreign Agricultural Affairs Luke Lindberg and their teams for their hard work to bring this first award of wheat under the USDA’s administration of the Food for Peace program,” said Dalton Henry, USW vice president of communications and policy.
The shipment is part of the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s administration of the Food for Peace program. The wheat will be delivered through the World Food Program and is expected to be shipped later this summer along with other commodities such as rice and sorghum.
“This is the first of hopefully many shipments under the USDA’s administration of the Food for Peace program,” said Amanda Hoey, chief executive officer of the Oregon Wheat Commission and chair of the USW Food Aid Working Group. “Through this program, we reaffirm to the world that the United States is more than a seller of grain, but a dedicated partner in feeding millions of hungry people around the world.”
Leaders from U.S. Wheat said this award shows continued commitment to helping people in need while also supporting American farmers. They noted that farmer participation in food aid programs helps maintain the global reputation of U.S. agriculture as reliable and high quality.
Food for Peace, first signed into law in 1954, has long played a key role in providing food assistance worldwide. U.S.-grown wheat has remained one of the most important commodities in the program, often making up a large share of in-kind food aid.
In late 2025, the USDA assumed administrative responsibility for the Food for Peace program through an agreement with the U.S. Department of State. The move aligned the program with USDA’s experience managing other international food assistance efforts.
U.S. Wheat also welcomed USDA’s announcement of additional funding for Food for Peace. New applications are being accepted for feeding programs in several countries across Africa and Central America.
“USDA is working to return Food for Peace to its core functions,” said Deputy Under Secretary for Trade and Foreign Agricultural Affairs Michelle Bekkering in the release. “This funding will more responsibly deliver lifesaving food assistance with high-quality American commodities, helping American farmers and producers at home and people in need across the world.”
Officials said the program supports both humanitarian goals and U.S. farmers by delivering high-quality American commodities to people facing hunger. The continued operation of Food for Peace reaffirms the role of U.S. agriculture in global food security.
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