USDA Acting Under Secretary Michael Scuse to Speak at the International Food Aid and Development Conference in Kansas City

WASHINGTON, June 27, 2011 – USDA’s Acting Under Secretary for Farm and Foreign Agricultural Services Michael Scuse will be a keynote speaker at the 13th Annual International Food Aid and Development Conference (IFADC) in Kansas City, Mo., on June 28. This year’s theme is “Food Aid: Results That Matter to Hungry People.” Special guest speakers include Mozambique’s Ambassador to the United States Amélia Matos Sumbana; U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) Administrator Raj Shah; U.S. Maritime Administrator Orlando Gotay; and the President of Catholic Relief Services Ken Hackett, who will be recognized for his 40-year contribution to alleviating global poverty and hunger. 

Contact:
USDA Office of Communications (202) 720-4623

“For decades, thanks to the generosity of the American people and the productivity of American agriculture, U.S. food aid has helped to meet the immediate food and development needs of millions,” said Scuse. “Today, the global challenges of hunger and food price volatility require fresh ideas and new commitments to feed a growing world. This conference will serve as a forum for addressing these challenges and provide insight into new and innovative ways that we can provide food aid to some of the world’s poorest people.” 

Topics to be discussed include:

• recommendations from Tufts University’s Food Aid Quality Review Report; 
• innovative approaches to developing and field-testing micronutrient-fortified food aid products; 
• approaches to reducing post-harvest losses;
• the effect of food and transportation prices on food assistance;
• the continued evolution of food assistance programs and practices to address today’s and tomorrow’s needs; and
• the roles that public-private partnerships, U.S. land-grant universities and other institutions play in enhancing and adding value to global food security efforts.

The IFADC provides a forum to discuss policy and operational issues related to food aid and development, as well as ways to improve communication and cooperation, including government, private, voluntary and non-government organizations, and agricultural and transportation industry representatives.  Conference participants will have an opportunity to discuss food security, logistics issues, public-private partnerships, commodity cargo handling, value added products, nutrition and supply chain management.

More information about the conference is available at http://www.fsa.usda.gov/ifac.

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