ARLINGTON, VA. — Leaders from several US commodity groups participated in a fly-in Sept. 16-17 with lawmakers advocating for the full transfer of the Food for Peace program to the US Department of Agriculture (USDA). Oversight of the program currently lies at the State Department, which has ground food aid shipments to a halt, the groups said. This year’s drop in purchases for international food aid is a departure from historical purchasing patterns, they said. “Each year, the Food for Peace program purchases more than one million metric tons of food — including American-grown wheat — to reach millions suffering from hunger around the world,” Clements said. “Sorghum is a reliable, nutritious grain well-suited for food aid programs, and restoring Food for Peace under USDA will ensure farmers can continue contributing to both global food security and America’s agricultural strength,” she said.