The U.S. State Department is digging in deep on its decision to burn more than 500 tons of emergency food assistance. Additionally, this assistance was intended to benefit children in Afghanistan and Pakistan. At the end of the Biden administration, the government purchased this food for about $800,000. It has been gathering dust in a Dubai warehouse for months and is set to expire later this month.
According to the State Department, this quantity of food represents less than 1% of the total annual food aid distributed by the U.S. government. These high-energy, nutrient-dense biscuits are designed to reach vulnerable populations affected by natural disasters or conflict. Together, they can provide meals for nearly 1.5 million children for a week.
As State Department spokesperson Tammy Bruce recently tweeted, “We must protect humanitarian aid workers when delivering emergency food assistance.” She stated, “If something is expired, we will destroy it. It’s a matter of whether or not it’s safe to distribute.” Bruce noted that the U.S. still distributes about 1 million metric tons of food aid annually. This effort is a testament to the generosity of the American people.
Virginia Senator Tim Kaine and other members of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee are demanding to know why the food was destroyed. They are putting a spotlight on what this action means. They grilled Michael Rigas, the recently appointed Deputy Secretary of State for Management and Resources. This came on the heels of reports that the Trump administration had already flirted with similar actions to end emergency food aid.
Under questioning from the committee, Rigas described government policy that prohibits giving out food that’s close to expiration. He expressed his distress over the situation, stating, “I’m as distressed about that as you are.” Rigas credited the former administration with having purchased the soon to be expired lot. They bought it as an intentional over the top contingency for needs going beyond their estimates, which caused it to expire without ever being used.
The State Department’s decision to wipe out these food depots has raised Red Cross concerns. Folks are rightly asking whether U.S. humanitarian efforts really help and whether resources for food aid are misallocated. The critics risk downplaying the sobering truth that millions of children are suffering and in urgent need of assistance. First, they are deeply concerned that so much aid is being wasted.
