Food aid groups praise Obama’s pledge

Food aid groups praise Obama’s pledge    A group of U.S. food aid organizations praised President Obama’s fiscal year 2010 budget overview for its focus on boosting funds for foreign assistance.
   The budget document, called A New Era of Responsibility, Renewing America’s Promise, was released Thursday by the Office of Management and Budget. It stated the United States will “reach out to the global community and renew its role as a leader in global development and diplomacy” and lists funding highlights.
   “The priorities given for international cooperation and assistance in many ways mirror the thinking of the private voluntary organizations and cooperatives that are members of the alliance,” said Ellen Levinson, executive director for the Alliance for Global Food Security, in a statement.
   However, she warned: “This is a bare bones snapshot and not a full budget plan, so it is difficult to fully judge how specific program areas will be affected.”
   The budget plan states Obama’s intention to increase funding for humanitarian programs, such as food aid, in the regular appropriations process, rather than relying on supplemental appropriations.
   “Supplemental food aid funding has been a life saver, but because the amount that will be provided is unpredictable, there are disruptions in the flow of aid and program efficiencies are lost,” Levinson said. “To conduct effective programs it is necessary to have sufficient funding upfront rather than tentatively approving, underfunding or interrupting programs.”