Jerry Moran

The Trump administration's budget proposal calls for eliminating the Food for Peace program.

U.S. Sen. Jerry Moran, R-Kansas, is leading efforts to save the program and permanently move it to the USDA.

The entire Kansas congressional delegation supports legislation to save the foreign food aid program.

USDA Secretary Brooke Rollins assured Congress that the department will continue the program if it receives funding.

Despite President Donald Trump's budget proposal calling for eliminating a foreign food aid program that started in Kansas, U.S. Sen. Jerry Moran is continuing his push to save it.

"I continue to believe that Food for Peace, the natural home for that program is at USDA, and I'm going to continue my efforts to permanently transfer that program to your department," Moran, R-Kansas, told agriculture secretary Brooke Rollins.

Moran's statement during a congressional hearing comes as the Trump administration continues to push for ending the program.

Despite Trump proposing to defund the program in fiscal year 2027, Moran told Rollins, "I presume assume that you'll have FY 27 funding" appropriated by Congress.

Food for Peace previously was under the U.S. Agency for International Development before it was shut down in 2025 by the Department of Government Efficiency.

Later that year, the White House budget proposed terminating the program, even as members of Congress pushed to save it by moving it to the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

Earlier this year, USDA took temporary steps to take over Food for Peace.

But earlier this month, the White House budget proposal called for eliminating the $1.2 billion program. A budget summary from the USDA said the program "ships food overseas slowly and inefficiently, defeating the purpose of providing expeditious food aid and wasting taxpayer dollars in the process. This elimination is in line with other in-kind food donation program eliminations in the Budget."

That puts the Trump White House at odds with the entire Kansas congressional delegation's stance on foreign food aid. All six members of the Kansas congressional delegation have supported legislation to save Food for Peace, which started as an idea from a Kansas farmer seven decades ago and has since been championed by Kansans.

"There's a lot of Kansas ties to this Food for Peace program," Moran said.

Rollins, the USDA secretary, testified on Trump's budget request in an April 22 hearing of a U.S. Senate appropriations subcommittee.

The issue of foreign food aid was first raised by Sen. Jeanne Shaheen, D-New Hampshire, who is the top Democrat on the subcommittee. Shaheen, who got to speak before Moran, said she was disappointed that Trump's budget proposal would eliminate Food for Peace and McGovern-Dole.

"Can you assure us that regardless of where the administration stands on the future of Food for Peace, that if this committee continues to provide funding for it in FY 27 — as I think we will — do you commit to continuing the program and fulfilling all of the statutory requirements of Food for Peace?" Shaheen asked.

"Yes," Rollins said. "Clearly, if it is funded — anything that is funded from this committee and this Congress — we will absolutely step up and do the very best we can to ensure that we're meeting every metric that has been given to us. I think we've proven that with the Food for Peace program."

Moran asked: "Can you tell me what the next step is to make certain that food is in the places it needs to be and that hungry people are being fed? What needs to happen that's not happening?"

Rollins said there has been "a little bit of clunkiness as we're moving things around."

"But ultimately the team feels confident. They're happy to accept the program. We have a really good group of people working on it."

Rollins did acknowledge the team has "a lot fewer numbers (of staff) than were working on it before, but seemingly it is working. If you were hearing different," she told Moran, "please let me know and we'll work to solve for that."

The House is also pushing to keep Food for Peace as well as McGovern-Dole, which is another international food assistance program with Kansas ties that Trump wants to eliminate. The House's farm bill would save both programs.

Meanwhile, the House is also working on appropriations for fiscal year 2027. The current plan includes $900 million for Food for Peace, which would be a cut of $300 million, and maintains current funding at $240 million for McGovern-Dole.