February 5, 2014 (WASHINGTON) – This statement is delivered on behalf of the Modernizing Foreign Assistance Network (MFAN) by Co-Chairs George Ingram, Carolyn Miles, and Connie Veillette
MFAN applauds Congress for including key reforms to U.S. international food assistance in the 2014 Farm Bill, which was approved by Congress following a 68-32 vote in the Senate yesterday and a 251-166 vote in the House last week. These reforms are an important incremental step in ensuring greater flexibility and efficiency of our international food aid programs. The legislation will now go to President Obama for his signature. We commend Congress, and in particular the leaders of the Senate and House Agriculture Committees – Chairwoman Debbie Stabenow (D-MI), Ranking Member Thad Cochran (R-MS), Chairman Frank Lucas (R-OK), and Ranking Member Collin Peterson (D-MN), respectively – for including common-sense reform provisions to food aid in the five-year authorization bill.
These reforms include: the authorization of additional funds for Local and Regional Procurement, which will save time and money as well as support local farmers and food markets to better and more sustainably serve their own people; an increase in the share of funds that can be used for non-commodity expenses, allowing for a decrease in the need to monetize commodities; and greater transparency by requiring USAID to report on implementation costs of food assistance, including the cost recovery rate for monetized food aid.
U.S international food assistance programs are critical to helping hungry people around the world, but the current approach is outdated. The reforms included in this legislation will mean reaching more people in need more quickly and putting U.S. taxpayer dollars to better use.