WASHINGTON, D.C. (June 4, 2013) – CARE applauds the U.S. Senate for unanimously approving an amendment to the Farm Bill sponsored by Sens. Chris Coons (D-DE), Mike Johanns (R-NE), Patrick Leahy (D-VT) and Johnny Isakson (R-GA) that increases authorization for funding for a Local and Regional Procurement (LRP) program. This will increase the flexibility of the U.S. government food aid programming to reach more people more quickly.
CARE commends the sponsors of the amendment, as well as Agriculture Committee Chairwoman Debbie Stabenow (D-MI), working with Ranking Member Thad Cochran (R-MS) for their bipartisan leadership on improving our international food aid program in the Farm Bill.
Numerous studies of the LRP pilot program, included in the 2008 Farm Bill, have shown LRP saves time and money in getting life-saving assistance to hungry people. Furthermore, by investing in the local capacity of developing country farmers to feed their own communities, we are helping them in the long-term to graduate from reliance on aid.
“CARE fully supports a more modernized food aid system that delivers food to the hungry in the quickest and most effective way, while empowering local farmers, many of them women,” said Helene D. Gayle, president and CEO of CARE.
We look forward to working with Congress to ensure this important provision in included in the final Farm Bill as the legislative process moves forward.
Media Contacts:
Washington, D.C.: Stephanie Chen, CARE, schen@care.org, +1.202.595.2824, +1.404.819.6638