WASHINGTON, May 3, 2005 - Agriculture Secretary Mike Johanns today announced $91 million in foreign assistance under the U.S. Department of Agriculture's fiscal year 2005 McGovern-Dole International Food for Education and Child Nutrition Program. This assistance will feed more than 3.4 million children in 15 developing countries in Africa, Asia, Latin America and Eastern Europe. The announcement was made at the USDA and USAID Export Food Aid Conference VII in Kansas City, Missouri.

"USDA's food for education programs demonstrate America's continued compassion and commitment to improve the lives of children around the world," said Johanns. "These programs have increased access to education, improved child nutrition, built new classrooms and extended health services for some of the world's poorest children."

The McGovern-Dole International Food for Education and Child Nutrition Program helps support education, child development and food security in low-income, food-deficit countries that are committed to universal education. 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.

Under the program, USDA will purchase a variety of commodities on the U.S. market and donate them to private voluntary organizations and the United Nations' World Food Program. Detailed agreements will be negotiated for each donation and announced as they are completed.

The McGovern-Dole program was authorized by the Farm Security and Rural Investment Act of 2002 and is administered by the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Foreign Agricultural Service.

The program is named in honor of Ambassador and former Senator George McGovern and former Senator Robert Dole for their tireless efforts to encourage a global commitment to school feeding and child nutrition.

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