For more than 70 years, American agriculture has played a leading role in fighting hunger around the world through U.S. food aid programs. U.S. food aid refers to the collection of programs that provide food assistance to countries facing hunger, conflict, natural disasters and food insecurity. These efforts include emergency food assistance, school feeding initiatives and commodity based aid programs that deliver American grown food to those in need. 

Among these programs, Food for Peace stands as the flagship U.S. food aid initiative and the one most closely connected to American farmers. Established in 1954 through Public Law 480 and signed into law by President Dwight D. Eisenhower, Food for Peace was created during a time when U.S. agricultural productivity was growing rapidly while many nations around the world struggled with food shortages. 

Over the decades, Food for Peace evolved into one of the world’s most successful food assistance programs. American grown sorghum, wheat, rice, corn and vegetable oil have been shipped to countries facing famine, conflict and natural disasters. The program has become a symbol to U.S. farmers as a way to show generosity and to support American agriculture. 

Sorghum’s Role in Feeding the World 

Sorghum’s versatility, nutritional value and adaptability make it well suited for food assistance programs. Sorghum is already a widely recognized staple and a vital part of regional nutrition across much of Africa. As a result, U.S. sorghum has frequently been included in food aid shipments destined for countries throughout East Africa and other food-insecure regions.

Historically, food aid programs have accounted for approximately 300,000 to 500,000 metric tons of annual sorghum demand. For producers, that volume represents a significant market opportunity. At a time when export markets can fluctuate and domestic demand can face uncertainty, Food for Peace provides an additional outlet for American-grown sorghum.

The program also demonstrates the unique value proposition of U.S. agriculture. Every shipment represents farmers producing a safe, reliable and affordable food source that can travel across oceans and arrive where it is needed most.

That impact was on display recently when 400,000 bushels of U.S. sorghum were loaded at Skyland Grain in western Kansas for shipment to Africa through Food for Peace. The shipment marked the first Food for Peace sorghum movement since USDA assumed administration of the program and highlighted the continued role sorghum producers play in addressing global food insecurity.

New Chapter for Food for Peace

For much of its history, Food for Peace was administered through the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID). In 2026, an interagency agreement allowed USDA to temporarily operate the program, a move strongly supported by National Sorghum Producers and many agricultural organizations.

NSP welcomed the transition and continues advocating for Congress to make USDA’s administration of the program permanent.

According to NSP Chair Amy France, placing Food for Peace under USDA strengthens transparency, improves accountability and reinforces the connection between American farmers and global food assistance efforts.

The shift also reflects the reality that food aid begins on American farms. Producers grow the commodities, grain handlers move them through the supply chain, exporters coordinate logistics and aid organizations distribute food to those in need. USDA’s direct involvement helps ensure those connections remain strong.

Why It Matters Today

Food for Peace has always been about more than moving grain. It reflects a uniquely American approach to humanitarian assistance—one that leverages the productivity of U.S. agriculture to address hunger while supporting rural communities at home.

For sorghum farmers, the benefits are clear. The program creates demand, helps move grain through the marketing system and supports prices by providing another outlet for production. At the same time, it allows producers to contribute to a mission much larger than themselves.

When a shipment of sorghum leaves a Kansas elevator bound for Africa, it represents more than bushels on a vessel. It represents American farmers helping families recover from drought, conflict and food shortages. It represents decades of agricultural innovation and productivity. And it demonstrates how U.S. agriculture can simultaneously strengthen rural economies and improve lives around the world.

As policymakers consider the future of Food for Peace, NSP remains committed to ensuring American-grown commodities remain at the center of global food assistance efforts. The program’s history proves that humanitarian leadership and strong agricultural markets are not competing priorities, they go hand in hand.

For more than seven decades, Food for Peace has connected American farmers to a global mission. For sorghum producers, it remains one of the clearest examples of how agriculture can create value at home while making a difference abroad.