U.S. donates $170 million in food aid

U.S. donates $170 million in food aid    The U.S. Department of Agriculture said on Friday that it will donate more than 100,000 tons of U.S. agricultural commodities valued at nearly $170 million (including freight costs and technical assistance) in fiscal year 2010 under the McGovern-Dole International Food for Education and Child Nutrition Program.
   The McGovern-Dole program helps support education, child development and food security in low-income, food-deficit countries that are committed to improving education.
   The program specifically provides for donation of U.S. agricultural products, as well as financial and technical help, for school feeding and maternal and child nutrition programs.
   'This year's allocations will feed more than 4.8 million children in 18 developing countries in Africa, Asia, Latin America and the Middle East,' the USDA said.
   Thirty-two agreements are funded with 15 cooperating sponsors in 28 countries, assisting more than 5 million children. To date, the McGovern-Dole program has provided meals to more than 22 million children.
   In addition last week, Roger Beachy, director of USDA's National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) announced a new program to develop healthier food products for humanitarian aid programs.
   NIFA's Food Aid Nutritional Education Program supports the development and field testing of new ready-to-use foods, fortified blended foods, high-energy foods, micronutrient powders or other food products used to improve the nutritional delivery of food aid. Projects funded by the program may also field test existing food products that have not yet been approved for use in food aid programs, Beachy said.
   NIFA expects to release the request for applications for the program this month with a 60-day open period. About $3.8 million in grants will be awarded in fiscal year 2010 on a competitive basis.