Sec. 416, foreign donation program-Requests approved during fiscal year 1958 (data by agencies)

AJDC-American Joint Distribution Committee (formerly American Jewish Joint

HADASSAH-Hadassah, Inc.

IRC-International Rescue Committee, Inc.

LWR-Lutheran World Relief, Inc.

MCC-Mennonite Central Committee, Inc.

Sec. 416 foreign donation program-Shipments made during fiscal year 1958 (data by countries)

Sec. 416 foreign donation program—Shipments made during fiscal year 1958 (data

by countries)-Continued

Mr. WHATLEY. It is a fantastic situation and I think that something substantial and perhaps radical will have to be achieved in the method of distribution abroad in order to limit substantially these stocks that are costing a million dollars a day to store.

I also ask permission to insert this data just received from the Department for fiscal year 1958 showing the distribution by countries. Mr. MCMILLAN. Without objection, it will be placed in the record. (The data referred to is as follows:)

USDA REPORTS ON FOOD DONATIONS DURING FIRST THREE QUARTERS OF FISCAL YEAR

UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE,

Washington, May 1, 1958.

More than 620 million pounds of food was donated through the direct distribution program of the Agricultural Marketing Service for use in school lunch programs, in institutions, and by needy persons in this country, in the 9 months from July 1957 through March 1958, the United States Department of Agriculture reported today.

Recipients of these foods which are donated from Department surplus stocks included 13,600,000 schoolchildren taking part in school lunch programs, 1,400,000 needy persons in charitable institutions, and as of March this year 4,370,027 needy persons in family units.

Distribution of surplus commodities to schools and institutions is being made through the direct distribution program to all 48 States, the District of Columbia, and 5 Territories. In addition, 45 States, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico are taking part in the distribution of surplus foods to needy persons in family units. Four of those States-Florida, Georgia, and North and South Carolinaentered the program in the January-March quarter-year; and since then, 3 additional States Arizona, Montana, and Washington-have entered the program. Not all areas of all States participate, however. In the 42 States in the program in March, a total of 1,072 counties and 119 additional cities took part.

The number of pounds of food donated in this country during the first threequarters of the current fiscal year was down 28 percent from quantities distributed in the same period a year ago. This decrease is primarily due to the fact, USDA official explained, that several commodities distributed a year earlier were not available for donation during the same period in this fiscal year.

Commodities currently available for distribution in this country are butter, cheese, nonfat dry milk, rice, wheat flour, and cornmeal.

During this 9-month period, distribution to needy persons in foreign countries expanded, totaling 1,627,900,000 pounds for the period, or 26 percent more than in the same period a year ago. The major portion of the increase was in flour and cornmeal; the only other commodities currently available for foreign distribution are cheese and nonfat dry milk.

Combining domestic and foreign donations, total distribution through the program increased to 2,249,800,000 pounds for the three-quarter year period, 4 percent more than in the same period a year ago.

Foods the Department has authority to donate are those acquired in the operation of the price support and surplus removal programs. The direct distribution program makes constructive use of foods acquired through these activities.

The following table shows, by States, the number of needy persons in family units receiving donated commodities during March 1958:

Distribution of 621,900,000 pounds of food in this country in the 9-month period showed declines in all 3 categories of eligible recipients. Distribution of 218,100,000 pounds to schools was down 43 percent, distribution of 101,700,000 pounds to institutions down 12 percent, and distribution of 302,100,000 pounds to needy persons was down 19 percent from the same period a year ago.

After all the needs of all eligible recipients in this country have been provided for, remaining foods are made available to voluntary United States agencies for distribution to needy persons abroad. During the July-through-March period, 20 of these agencies distributed surplus foods through the program to needy persons in 78 foreign countries.

The following tables list the surplus foods donated to the various categories of eligible recipients, with estimates of the quantities distributed, and their costs. Figures are for the first 9 months of the fiscal year 1958 (the months of July 1957 through March 1958) and for all 12 months of the fiscal year 1957 (the fiscal year ended June 30, 1957):