Skip to main content

USDA Official Visits Kenya to Tour World Food Program Sites and Observe Their Impact on Food Security

USDA Farm and Foreign Agricultural Service’s Deputy Under Secretary Darci Vetter will join former Senator George S. McGovern in Kenya May 10-16 to visit World Food Program sites and observe, first-hand, how nutrition programs fit into broader food security initiatives in Africa.

“The World Food Program is an important participant in USDA’s McGovern-Dole International Food for Education and Child Nutrition Program,” said Vetter. “Congress recognized the vision of Senators McGovern and Dole when it established this program. It is an amazing opportunity for me to travel with Senator McGovern and see firsthand the direct impact that these programs have on children and families.”

McGovern currently serves as the Ambassador to the World Food Program and was recognized in 2008, along with Sen. Robert Dole, by the World Food Prize for his leadership in forging the link between the productivity of American farmers and the needs of hungry children around the world.

Vetter and McGovern will visit school feeding sites in Nairobi and rural areas and meet with communities that are establishing homegrown school feeding programs. Additionally, they will meet with small farmers who participate in the World Food Program’s local and regional procurement program. Vetter will also have the opportunity to visit agricultural development projects in the dairy and cassava sectors.

The McGovern–Dole International Food for Education and Child Nutrition Program, administered by USDA’s Foreign Agricultural Service, helps support education, child development, and food security for some of the world’s poorest children. It provides for donations of U.S. agricultural products, as well as financial and technical assistance, for school feeding and maternal and child nutrition projects in low-income, food-deficit countries that are committed to universal education.

To learn more about USDA and FAS Food Aid Programs visit http://www.fas.usda.gov/food-aid.asp.

Related
Agriculture Secretary Vilsack will hold a national conference call today for members of the media on new food safety standards being announced this afternoon that will help prevent an estimated 39,000 illnesses due to Campylobacter and 26,000 illnesses due to Salmonella.

The new performance standards announced today fulfill a key recommendation of the President’s Food Safety Working Group. The standards are the first-ever for Campylobacter, and the first revision to the Salmonella standards for chicken since 1996 and for turkeys since 2005.










Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

In wake of the Zika virus, travel, spring break still O.K.

Representatives from the CDC and the NIH were on hand at the White House during Monday's press briefing to update the public and address concerns over the Zika virus that has caused some babies to be born with deformities. Dr. Anne Schuchat from the Centers for Disease Control and Dr. Tony Fauci from the National Institutes of Health told reporters that a vaccine is in the making.   The pair also said they are particulary concerned about women who are pregnant, or plan to get pregnant, who have either traveled to or plan to travel to areas of South America and the Carribean known to have the Zika virus. Despite those bold statements, the doctors said there is no wide-spread concern and that Americans should continue to travel, including during upcoming college spring breaks --  when college students travel to warmer climate destinations to escape winter weather. "Travel to Zika-affected areas is very common among Americans, and we don’t think that needs to stop...
Post a Comment
Read more

Congressional Black Caucus Week Tackles Tough Issues: Among Them Youth Unemployment and Education

Congressional members convene at today's Congressional Black Caucus Town Hall Meeting. Photo/CD Brown  Mark your calendars to attend this year's Congressional Black Caucus events at the Washington Convention Center. This year's theme Vision, Journey, Mission will address many topics concerning Americans including jobs and education (especially for youth), and economic advancement.  In today's Town Hall meeting titled 'Educating Our Way To Prosperity' members on the panel that included Congressman Elijah Cummings, Representative Dianne Watson (D-CA), Chaka Fattah (D-PA), and author of The Other Wes Moore talked about educating youth for green jobs, and to think entrepreneurial instead working for someone else. "We must develop entrepreneurial opportunities", said Fattah. "In many cultures it's a common discussion to educate youth to think about starting a business." Congressman Elijah Cummings who sits on the Joint Economic ...
Post a Comment
Read more

President Obama Meets Muslim Leaders

from the White House press office. THE WHITE HOUSE Office of the Press Secretary FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE February 4, 2015 Readout of the President’s Meeting with American Muslim Leaders The President this afternoon met with American Muslim leaders to discuss a range of domestic and foreign policy issues.  The President thanked the participants for their work in a variety of fields and for coming together to offer views on issues of importance to their communities, noting that his regular interactions with different faith communities provided him with valuable insights and feedback.  Among the topics of discussion were the community’s efforts and partnerships with the Administration on a range of domestic issues such as the Affordable Care Act, issues of anti-Muslim violence and discrimination, the 21 st  Century Policing Task Force, and the upcoming White House Summit on Countering Violence Extremism.   The President reiterated his Administr...
Post a Comment
Read more