USDA releases 500,000 metric tons of food aid for Africa

USDA releases 500,000 metric tons of food aid for Africa    The U.S. Department of Agriculture will release up to 500,000 metric tons of wheat to address hunger in Africa, particularly in Ethiopia and Eritrea.
   USDA made the announcement at the 2005 U.S.-Africa Business Summit of the Corporate Council on Africa in Baltimore this week. The USDA is taking this action as part of President Bush’s June 7 pledge to provide about $674 million in additional resources to respond to humanitarian emergencies in Africa.
   The 500,000 metric tons of wheat comes from the Emerson Trust, which is an emergency food reserve available for humanitarian relief in developing countries and administered under the authority of the agriculture secretary. The trust was reauthorized through 2007 by the 2002 Farm Security and Rural Investment Act. Prior to this release, the reserve held 1.4 million tons of wheat, USDA said.
   The wheat shipments, which will include some vegetable oil, pulses and corn soy blend, will be administered by the U.S. Agency for International Development under P.L. 480 Title II, and distributed mainly through the World Food Program and private voluntary organizations and is expected to arrive over the next few months, USDA said.