Delegation has proven its leadership for Kansas farmers | Opinion

The recent opinion piece titled “Washington abandoned rural Kansas — and farmers are paying for it” raises important concerns, but it overlooks the Kansas delegation’s consistent leadership on issues that matter deeply to Kansas farmers, particularly advocacy for the Food for Peace program, formerly administered by USAID.

As strong supporters of this initiative, Sens Moran and Marshall and Rep. Mann have taken meaningful steps to strengthen U.S. food security programs while ensuring they continue to benefit both hungry populations abroad and producers here at home.

The Kansan Congressional delegation has been a strong and consistent advocate for the principles embodied in Food for Peace, that U.S. food aid should prioritize in-kind commodities grown by American farmers and delivered directly to vulnerable populations around the world.

Unfortunately, mismanagement and costly delays under USAID resulted in the diversion of resources and undermined the program’s intent, too often sending dollars rather than Kansas-grown crops. The result was food stranded at ports, slowed shipments and lost income for U.S. producers.

Recognizing this, in February, Sen. Moran led bipartisan legislation with Sen. Marshall to transfer the program’s management from USAID to USDA, citing concerns over bureaucratic delays, mismanagement and fraud at USAID that were costing farmers meaningful revenue and slowing lifesaving shipments abroad.

That same day, he emphasized that in FY 2023 alone, U.S.-grown commodities worth $713 million were purchased through Food for Peace, directly benefiting American producers. Rep. Mann led companion legislation in the House.

As the dean of the Kansas delegation, Sen. Moran repeated that concern in May, highlighting that USDA already has the infrastructure to administer these programs efficiently, protect taxpayer dollars and strengthen markets for U.S. farmers.

Moran is a champion for rural Kansas because he’s from rural Kansas. He’s in good company. He and his fellow Kansans in Congress ensure farmers’ voices are at the table in our federal food aid programs.

Furthermore, Sen. Moran co-founded and co-chairs the bipartisan Senate Hunger Caucus and, prior to, was a founding member of the bipartisan House Hunger Caucus, establishing a pattern of leadership on moving ag and nutrition issues forward. Today, the House Hunger Caucus is co-chaired by Rep. Tracey Mann of Kansas’ “Big First” District, who, in the previous Congress, championed the American Farmers Feed the World Act.

Sen. Marshall also has a history of championing food aid programs. During his own time representing the Big First, Marshall helped to co-found a Hunger Caucus Food As Medicine Working Group, an important theme he has carried on into the Senate with a health roundtable on nutrition I personally attended earlier this year. Together, the delegation is advancing a vision for U.S. food aid which is more transparent, more accountable, and more directly tied to American farm production.

Crucially, as Sen. Moran is a senior member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, he has worked persistently to secure robust funding for federal food aid programs. Earlier this year, the Senate Committee on Appropriations unanimously approved the FY26 Agriculture Appropriations Act, which, in addition to funds secured for the McGovern-Dole Food for Education and Child Nutrition Program, also included $1.5 billion for Food for Peace Title II grants, along with legislative language ensuring these funds remain protected.

Moreover, when USAID’s disruptions left between $340 million and $566 million in American-grown food stranded at ports, Sen. Moran sounded the alarm, calling it a moral imperative to resume shipments before the commodities spoiled. Kansas delegation leadership ensured that stalled shipments were resumed, demonstrating a commitment to American agriculture and international food security.

This legacy, rooted in Kansas innovation, from its origins with Peter O’Brien and Senator Bob Dole, is unmistakably tied to preserving Food for Peace as both moral diplomacy and indispensable rural economic policy.

Sens. Moran and Marshall and Rep. Mann stand firmly with Kansas producers, ensuring that food aid dollars support Kansas-grown commodities and the heart of America’s global mission to combat global food insecurity.