PR 0081-06
WASHINGTON, July 13, 2006 - The U.S. Department of Agriculture today announced that it will donate 8,000 metric tons of wheat, 750 metric tons of sunflower oil and 500 metric tons of nonfat dry milk to United Methodist Committee on Relief (UMCOR), a private voluntary organization, for use in Georgia.
UMCOR will sell the commodities in Georgia and use the proceeds to implement the Modern Agricultural Quest Project in the country over a 34-month period. The project will provide equipment to improve production, processing and packaging facilities for small agricultural businesses, as well as promote modern agricultural technologies to farmers, cooperatives and small agricultural enterprises.
The project will also facilitate the expansion of Georgia's agricultural private sector by providing credit to small agricultural businesses, farmer associations, cooperatives and individual farmers. Additionally, the project will work towards improving the socio-economic conditions for farmers in target areas by rehabilitating rural infrastructure, and implementing social investment projects.
The donation will be made under USDA's Food for Progress program, administered by the Foreign Agricultural Service. The supply period for this donation is fiscal year 2006.
The Food for Progress program provides for USDA donations of agricultural commodities to needy countries to encourage economic or agricultural reforms that foster free enterprise. This year, USDA expects to donate around 560,000 tons of U.S. commodities to 28 countries under Food for Progress.
For further information, contact Cristina Fundeneanu of FAS at (202) 720-6868, or by e-mail at Cristina.Fundeneanu@fas.usda.gov.