US Food for Peace Shipment to Kenya Lifts Louisiana Rice, Wheat Exports

The program supports more than just agriculture. From seed to ship, tens of thousands of American workers are involved, according to Sara Fuentes, president of the Transportation Institute. "Those voyages keep American mariners sailing, preserve the skills of our Merchant Marine, and ensure our nation has the maritime capacity," she said. The vessel is operated by Liberty Maritime Corporation, one of the largest U.S.-flag commercial fleets participating in government cargo preference programs.

USDA Deputy Under Secretary Michelle Bekkering noted the broader mission. "Through our suite of USDA food assistance programs, we're not just saving lives, we're changing them," she said. The agency inherited Food for Peace from USAID last year. The program has been a fixture of U.S. foreign aid for more than 70 years, connecting American agricultural abundance with humanitarian partners like the World Food Programme.

Over the past decade, nearly $5 billion in food has been purchased from U.S. farmers through Food for Peace and donated to WFP, according to Matthew Nims, director of the WFP Washington office. "The U.S. government through USDA, along with farmers, producers, shippers and port workers, are helping WFP save lives," Nims said.

The event drew attention to the farm bill debate. Congress is still negotiating a new five-year agricultural package. Owen urged lawmakers to make permanent the transfer of Food for Peace to USDA. "As Congress continues to debate the farm bill, we encourage them to make permanent the transfer of this program to USDA to ensure it can continue delivering American-grown commodities," he said.

The LIBERTY GRACE was loaded entirely by American longshoremen and will sail under a U.S. flag. The vessel is scheduled to depart Houston after taking on wheat.