Today, U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Secretary Tom Vilsack announced that the department will donate over 100,000 tons of domestic agricultural commodities, valued at $170 million "(including freight costs and technical assistance)" in the fiscal year 2010.The donations are being made under the McGovern-Dole International Food for Education and Child Nutrition (McGovern-Dole) Program, which is named for the legislators, former Sens. Jim McGovern and Robert Dole, who created the program. Secretary Vilsack made the following statement in the USDA news release on the donations, '"I am proud of the assistance we provide to the world's hungry children through the McGovern-Dole Program . . . This important program provides a healthy meal, often the only one they receive, for millions of children, mothers and infants in developing countries around the world each day."'
As the USDA reports in the news release, the McGovern-Dole Program is dedicated to the efforts of former Sens. McGovern and Dole to combat hunger and education problems facing children in "low-income, food-deficit countries countries that are committed to universal education." In addition to agricultural products, the program also provides technical assistance and financial assistance for "school feeding and maternal and child nutrition projects."
The USDA estimates that the donations this year will feed over 4.8 million children in 18 developing countries. According to the news release, the program has provided nutrition assistance to over 22 million children through 32 "active agreements" funded with 15 cooperating sponsors in 28 countries. Their are more than five million beneficiaries.
To read the USDA news release and see what countries are getting funding, click here.
Posted: 02/26/10
