USDA Resumes Food for Progress Operations

By Lisa Baertlein and Leah Douglas

(Reuters) – The U.S. Department of Agriculture announced on Friday that grantees of the Food for Progress aid program could resume operations for agreements made in fiscal year 2024 or earlier, as stated in an email seen by Reuters.

On Wednesday, it was reported that the program, along with other U.S. food aid initiatives, had been halted due to a pause on international assistance under the Trump administration, though there was a waiver for life-saving aid.

This aid freeze and waiver created confusion among food and emergency aid organizations regarding the continuity of their operations.

“I am pleased to inform you that the new Administration has provided approval for continued implementation/execution of work within existing Food for Progress agreements that were signed in fiscal year 2024 and earlier,” a USDA official communicated in an email to program grantees on Friday.

Food for Progress, administered by the USDA, sends U.S. commodities abroad for agricultural, economic, or infrastructure development.

The program’s freeze had threatened grants aimed at purchasing tens of thousands of metric tons of U.S. soy and wheat, according to trade groups.

Some of the program’s projects for 2024 include:
– A $25-million rice project in Benin
– A $35-million wheat project in Madagascar
– A $25-million soybean project in Tunisia

Later on Friday, the USDA stated that the Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS) is continuing activities for projects funded by the Food for Progress program, as well as for the McGovern-Dole International Food for Education and Childhood Nutrition Program. This program focuses on improving education, child development, and food security in low-income countries.

“Projects supported by McGovern-Dole and Food for Progress help feed people around the globe while showcasing the abilities of U.S. farmers and creating demand for U.S. agricultural goods,” FAS administrator Daniel Whitley said in a statement.