USDA to Purchase 211,000 Metric Tons of American Commodities, Administer Food for Peace Program as America First International Food Assistance
Washington, D.C. – Today, Under Secretary for Trade and Foreign Agricultural Affairs Luke Lindberg announced USDA intends to enter into an agreement with the UN World Food Programme (WFP) to deliver up to $452 million in fiscal year (FY) 2025 Food for Peace assistance. The funding will help U.S. producers move American-grown food to people in need around the world, sending nearly 211,000 tons of U.S. agricultural goods to people in need in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, El Salvador, Ethiopia, Guatemala, Haiti, Kenya, and Rwanda.
This action advances President Trump’s commitment to ensuring that international assistance delivers a measurable return on investment for the American people and that the benefits of U.S. food aid flow back to America’s hardworking farmers, ranchers, and producers who make this assistance possible. USDA’s America First approach requires WFP and all partners of USDA-administered international assistance programs to adopt the following reforms:
Procurement of commodities of 100% U.S. origin;
Institution of strict accountability measures to prevent fraud, waste, and abuse; and
Reducing long-term dependency on foreign aid.
“America’s farmers and ranchers are the best in the world – and have a great bounty of high-quality products to share with the world. I am thrilled USDA can make that happen through America First international food assistance programs,” said Under Secretary Lindberg. “Under USDA, the Food for Peace program will benefit American farmers and producers and help people in need around the world in a way that respects hardworking American taxpayers.”
Previously administered by the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), Food for Peace is now being implemented by USDA under an interagency agreement with USAID.
In FY 2025, USDA moved nearly half a million tons of American-grown food to people in need worldwide under the Congressionally mandated Food for Progress and McGovern-Dole. Implementing Food for Peace along with Food for Progress and McGovern-Dole under USDA improves efficiency and unlocks millions in cost-savings opportunities.
“This announcement marks an important next step as the United States recalibrates its partnership with the United Nations as directed by President Trump. This enables the U.S. to continue to feed the world more efficiently while at the same time leveraging the bountiful harvest of our wonderful farmers,” said U.S. Permanent Representative to the UN Agencies in Rome Ambassador Lynda Blanchard.
USDA is moving quickly to return Food for Peace to its core function of delivering lifesaving food assistance.
USDA anticipates issuing this initial Food for Peace award to WFP, which will lead to purchases of bulk and formulated U.S. agricultural commodities by March. Such commodities include Ready-to-Use Supplementary Food (RUTF), wheat, Corn-Soy Blend Plus, beans, peas, lentils, rice, sorghum and vegetable oil. Additional Food for Peace awards will be posted publicly as funds become available.