MTD Praises USDA Announcement of First Major Commodities Purchase for the Title II PL 480 Food for Peace Program
The Maritime Trades Department (MTD) is pleased that the United States Department of Agriculture has announced a major purchase of U.S. food that will be transported on U.S.-Flag vessels as part of the Title II PL 480 Food for Peace Program. This is the first major purchase of commodities since the Food for Peace function was transferred from USAID to USDA by the Trump Administration.
“PL 480 food aid cargoes are traditionally the largest source of non-defense preference cargo carried by U.S.-Flag ships,” said MTD President David Heindel. “After more than a year of uncertainty following the closure of USAID, the ships in our fleet that depended on PL 480 cargo were in jeopardy of being lost. This new purchase should help ensure those ships remain in our fleet, and our mariners who crew them remain at work.”
The USDA announced an agreement to purchase up to $432 million in mixed commodities to support our diplomatic efforts abroad, specifically combating food insecurity and in support of emergency food relief in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, El Salvador, Ethiopia, Guatemala, Haiti, Kenya, and Rwanda. Under federal law, at least 50% of all foreign aid cargoes shipped by the government must be carried on U.S.-Flag ships.
The MTD has supported legislation and advocacy efforts to move the Food for Peace program to USDA, who has handled other in-kind food aid programs for more than half a century. In late December, an interagency agreement gave PL 480 responsibility to USDA, and USDA responded quickly to turn that responsibility into action.
Heindel added, “We look forward to working with the President, USDA Secretary Rollins, Undersecretary for Trade & Foreign Affairs Lindberg, and the rest of the USDA staff as they ensure that American foreign food aid shipments resume, and this vital tool of American diplomacy is put to work again. The men and women of the SIU stand ready to assist in delivering this aid, as we have for nearly 75 years.”