Support reauthorization of international food assistance
This week on Oct. 16, many around the world will together commemorate World Food Day through various civic engagement activities. The theme for this year is “Hand in Hand for Better Foods and a Better Future.” Ending hunger and malnutrition around the world is one of the major challenges with which we are faced and which we must address. According to a recently released report by the United Nations examining the State of Food Security and Nutrition in the World, between 638 and 720 million people are estimated to have faced hunger in 2024, mostly in sub-Saharan Africa.
The farm bill, which Congress needs to reauthorize every five years, is a critical policy tool that the U.S. government employs to fight global hunger. The legislation authorizes several international food aid programs. As policymakers work to finalize the next farm bill, urge your members of Congress to ensure programs that feed hungry people around the world are protected, especially the following programs:
- Food for Peace (Title II): Supports a critical lifeline for communities with emergency food assistance during humanitarian crises such as famine and conflict, in addition to the non-emergency support used to enhance communities’ resilience to hunger and malnutrition.
- McGovern-Dole International Food for Education and Nutrition Program: Provides food donations to support school meals programs and maternal and child nutrition in low- and middle-income countries facing hunger.
- Food for Progress: Helps developing countries strengthen their agricultural sectors. Under this program, donated U.S. agricultural commodities are sold locally, and the proceeds are then used to support agricultural, economic or infrastructure development programs.
As Lutherans, we are committed to work towards a just world where all are fed. “We are called to be stewards of what God has given for the sake of all. This stewardship includes holding economic, political, and social processes and institutions responsible for producing and distributing what is needed for sufficiency for all,” reads the ELCA social statement Sufficient, Sustainable Livelihood for All. Farm bill provisions can assist our siblings in great need.
Urge international food aid inclusion to contribute to the well-being of God’s people and creation. Please contact your members of Congress to protect international food programs in the farm bill. You are encouraged to customize your message to reflect your own voice and values. Thank you for your faithful advocacy!
[Posted: 10/15/2025]
