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Wheat growers support existing U.S. food aid policyColorado Colorado farmer Cary Wickstrom recently urged Congress to make sure America can continue to directly donate wheat to the world's poor and hungry as part of a strong U.S. food aid program. Wickstrom testified May 10, on behalf of the U.S. wheat Associates Food Aid Working Group before the House Agriculture Subcommittee on Specialty Crops, Rural Development and Foreign Agriculture. Wickstrom farms in Morgan County, Colo., and is the immediate past president of the Colorado wheat Administrative Committee. He also serves on the USW Board of Directors and on the USW Food Aid Working Group. "Our philosophy is simple: Keep the food in food aid," Wickstrom said. "U.S. growers produce the safest food in the world and we believe the bounty of U.S. agriculture should continue to be the fundamental resource for food security, development and humanitarian relief in developing countries." To that end, he said the wheat industry supports continuing U.S. in-kind food aid donations and opposes cash donations for local/regional food aid purchases. "Wheat represents an average of 40 percent to 50 percent of all U.S. food aid tonnage," he noted, and includes four of the six wheat classes produced in the U.S. He added that the U.S. wheat industry helps ensure wheat donations "meet the needs of local millers and the people who need it most" by providing detailed information on wheat quality and end use characteristics to the private voluntary organizations that manage the donations. Contrary to recent criticism that direct food aid is inefficient, he said, the U.S. bulk grain system makes it possible to tender for and deliver grain to its destination in as few as 45 days. In his testimony, Wickstrom reminded the subcommittee that by supplying half of the world's food aid, the U.S. generates tremendous goodwill and remains the most generous nation on earth. He praised the effectiveness of food aid programs administered by the U.S. Department of Agriculture and said the programs should remain under USDA management. He asked that funding for current programs be reauthorized under the 2007 farm bill at no less than current levels or higher for specific programs. "American wheat growers are strongly committed to food aid and humanitarian assistance," Wickstrom asserted. "We know development programs like these help address the underlying causes of hunger and poverty and help improve the quality of life for millions of human beings at risk around the world." Date: 6/7/07
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