URGENT: Save food aid which could feed hungry people faster and cheaper.

This Alert courtesy of OXFAM America:

More than 800 million people around the world face food shortages or malnutrition. The USA is massive donor of food aid, contributing more than one-half of all food aid to meet urgent demands and respond to emergencies.

But the US food aid program is stretched to the limit and is feeding fewer people as costs of commodities and transportation rise. In the last five years, the amount of food aid delivered has declined by 43%, even while the number and frequency of food emergencies are growing.
In this year’s Farm Bill, a pilot program has been proposed to test the idea of buying food aid in developing countries rather than shipping it thousands of miles from the USA. Local and regional purchase of food aid has the advantage of reducing the costs and delivery time. It’s faster, cheaper, and it can also help reduce poverty by buying surplus production from developing country farmers. Senator Tom Harkin, Chairman of the Senate Agriculture Committee, has proposed a $25 million pilot project to test buying food aid from local markets. This is a tiny fraction of the overall $2 billion food aid program.
Unfortunately, Senator Pat Roberts (R-KS) is planning to offer an amendment to eliminate the local purchase pilot program. Eliminating this pilot project would maintain the status quo and extinguish one of the best ideas for improving the food aid program.

ACT
Call Senator Pat Roberts and ask him to support the food aid local and regional purchase pilot program. The Senate Agriculture Committee is scheduled to meet on the Farm Bill TOMORROW!
1. Please call (202) 224-4774
2. Ask to speak to Senator Roberts’ agriculture staffer. If that person is not available, ask to leave a message. Tell the aide that approving this pilot program on local and regional food aid procurement would not diminish the need for commodity aid. Instead, cash for food could expand and supplement our food aid program. Ask for the Senator to reconsider introducing legislation to remove this pilot program.
3. Make sure to mention name and hometown – especially if you’re from Kansas!

CHANGE
It will only take a minute. A few well-placed calls from people like you could have a tremendous impact. Please share this alert with others and please call today!