Government oversight designed to ensure efficiency could inadvertently be creating waste, according to a CBS News report.
What's happening?
At issue is nearly $500 million in food — bought by the government to feed hungry people around the world — that was stranded in ports and warehouses. The logjam resulted from a funding pause and massive proposed staffing cuts to the U.S. Agency for International Development, or USAID, according to CBS.
The story cited a report from the U.S. Office of Inspector General that spotlighted the hundreds of millions of dollars' worth of food sitting at sea or inland, waiting to be shipped. CBS reported that USAID "buys food directly from U.S. farmers and manufactures."
The government rescinded the food delivery pause Feb. 12 after the waste news broke, allowing for shipments to resume, per Reuters. But numerous news agencies have reported the delay puts the mostly American-grown food at spoilage risk.
Why is the waste report important?
The scrutiny of USAID is part of an overall push by President Donald Trump to cut the government's size. The Department of Government Efficiency, or DOGE, is led by billionaire Elon Musk, and is tasked with overseeing a reduction that started when Trump took office in January. The effort has faced several legal challenges along the way.
For its part, the White House said USAID is full of "ridiculous" and "malicious" pet projects, citing $6 million to fund Egyptian "tourism" as one example. That project builds on work that provided potable water to 300,000 people in the region, per USAID.
Now, watchdogs are worried about sustaining the loads of food for hungry people in more than 100 countries, among other essential services the agency provides, and losing some international goodwill the country often cashes in for trade agreements.
"When the food doesn't get to where it needs to go, it winds up in a landfill, and that has devastating effects," Spoonfuls CEO Ashley Stanley told CBS. Her agency redirects excess food from grocers and other companies to aid organizations in Massachusetts, per the report.
Aid delays are already being realized at locations near and far, according to the Norwegian Refugee Council, which receives U.S. funding for humanitarian work.
|
Do you think gas stoves should be banned nationwide? Click your choice to see results and speak your mind. |
No way 👎 "The consequences will be increasingly serious for people facing crises around the world," the council said in a news release.
TCD Picks » Upway Spotlight
💡Upway makes it easy to find discounts of up to 60% on premium e-bike brands
For now, USAID's fate is unclear. It was founded in 1961.
What is being done about this?
CBS reported that a judge has stalled a move to put 2,200 USAID employees on administrative leave. Regardless of any political viewpoints on the matter, it's evidence that the system of checks and balances, a bedrock for the U.S. government, is at work to ensure any governmental actions are reviewed by a separate entity in consideration of the law and any other possible harm.
In many cases, these reviews simply provide appropriate time for measures to be applied in the event the original governing body called for an aggressive timeline. A more well-considered approach could have provided a safer plan with the nearly $500 million in already-appropriated food.
Beyond what is already happening at these levels, every citizen can take part in guiding policy with their voices and votes. You can also contribute to food security with a backyard or porch-based garden — or even one in your front yard, which earned the nickname "victory gardens" as part of World War I rationing.
It's a rewarding hobby that can save you hundreds of dollars per year in produce costs while minimizing waste and pollution. Services like AmpleHarvest.org can help you donate excess produce to a local food pantry to feed others, and you can explore donating to international relief programs as well.
Join our free newsletter for good news and useful tips, and don't miss this cool list of easy ways to help yourself while helping the planet.
Cool Picks
