Coalition of Leaders Praises House Action to Advance U.S. Leadership in Fight against Global Child Malnutrition

WASHINGTON, June 27, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- A broad coalition of global food security leaders, nutrition advocates, former senior government officials, national security leaders, farmers, suppliers, and producers have issued the following statement regarding increased funding for global programs to combat severe child malnutrition in the House FY2025 State and Foreign Operations Appropriations bill:

We applaud the House Appropriations Committee, and State Foreign Operations Subcommittee Chairman Mario Diaz-Balart (R-FL), for their strong support of the highest impact child malnutrition prevention and treatment interventions in the FY2025 State and Foreign Operations (SFOPS) appropriations bill. Building on the funding increase for the Global Health Programs Nutrition Sub-Account and the new funding directive for Ready-to-Use Therapeutic Foods (RUTF) included in the FY24 House SFOPS bill, the FY25 House SFOPS bill provides $300 million to enable the continued scale-up of child wasting treatment. 

We also thank the more than 30 bipartisan Members of Congress who signed this year's global nutrition and RUTF appropriations letter, led by Reps. Austin Scott (R-GA), Raja Krishnamoorthi (D-IL), Young Kim (R-CA) and Earl Blumenauer (D-OR). This letter calls for increased funding for RUTF procurement and delivery, as well as continued investments in the most cost effective malnutrition prevention interventions. By prioritizing new funding for proven, cost-effective nutrition products like RUTF, Congress is recognizing the power of U.S. leadership to save lives from the deadliest form of malnutrition. 

Because of the catalytic leadership and foresight from Congress and USAID, the number of severely wasted children who have access to RUTF has climbed from 5.4 million children in 2021 to 9.3 million children in 2023, the highest coverage levels ever attained. However, that historic progress is not guaranteed to continue. We urge the Senate Appropriations Committee to preserve investment in RUTF and the highest impact child malnutrition prevention interventions in its SFOPS bill to help USAID maintain its unprecedented response to child malnutrition.

Quote from William Moore, Chairman of the Malnutrition Advocacy Fund
"From iodized salt, to immunization, to mosquito nets, many of the world's most notable global health advances have been achieved by visionary leaders breaking through the status quo to scale game-changing solutions. By designating a new source of U.S. investment for RUTF, House leaders are providing USAID with the resources to deliver continued impact, moving us all an important step closer to the next chapter in the child survival revolution."

Quote from Retired General Jim Jones (Former NATO Supreme Allied Commander,
U.S. Marine Corps Commandant and National Security Advisor to the President) "U.S. leadership combating severe child malnutrition is not only a moral and humanitarian imperative, but it is crucial to international security and stability and ultimately, to U.S. national and allied security, by relieving dire conditions that contribute to mass migration and political unrest exploitable by transboundary criminal and terrorist organizations."

Quote from Retired General Kip Ward (Inaugural AFRICOM Commander; European Command Deputy Commander; Commander of Stabilization Force Bosnia; Security Coordinator to the Israel - Palestinian Authority)
"Over the course of my forty-year career in the U.S. Army, I held several command assignments overseas where I bore witness first-hand to the havoc that food insecurity and malnutrition can wage on vulnerable populations.  The delivery of life-saving nutrition packets stamped with the American flag is one of the most powerful indicators of our good will and humanity and one of the most effective ways to promote American values and to build new and enduring alliances across the globe."

Quote from Former USDA Secretary and Congressman Dan Glickman
"Ever since the creation of Food for Peace by President Eisenhower and the US Congress in the 1950's, the ingenuity and hard-work of American farmers has been a huge force for good in feeding the world and fighting hunger where it is most acute.  Within the context of historic spikes in global food insecurity over the last several years, there is great hope in the progress that is being achieved to end the needless deaths of millions of children who suffer from wasting.  We have a cost-effective solution that is being made through a partnership between American farmers and non-profit RUTF manufacturers, and we have leaders from both parties in Congress and the Executive Branch that are making bold commitments to tackle this most fundamental of challenges.  This is the best type of American leadership, which reminds our international partners and those in greatest need of our nation's ability to solve big problems, and of our enduring values and compassion."

Quote from Ambassador Ertharin Cousin (Former World Programme Executive Director and Former U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Agencies for Food and Agriculture) "At a time when the World Food Programme, UNICEF and other leading international humanitarian organizations are stretched so thin, it is heartening to see continued bipartisan leadership and support in the U.S. Congress for tackling the challenge of global child malnutrition, which still robs our global community of nearly 3 million child lives per year.  I commend the action in the House to scale up resources for RUTF and other highly-effective malnutrition prevention and treatment interventions."

Quote from Former Congressman Ted Yoho, DVM (Co-Chair, Consensus for Development Reform; Former Co-Chair, Congressional Caucus on Effective Foreign Assistance)
"Maintaining strong U.S. global leadership in an environment of rising fiscal pressures and intense global competition requires increased scrutiny of our investments in all tools of foreign policy and national security.  Effective foreign aid is a critical tool of U.S. soft diplomacy, and RUTF is a shining example of the best type of foreign assistance that maximizes cost-effectiveness and lives saved, while also promoting brand America overseas."

Quote from Joe Boddiford, U.S. Peanut Federation Board of Directors
"I thank the House appropriators who have joined the chorus of diverse stakeholders who know that RUTF is a critical tool in the long fight to end the devastating crisis of child malnutrition, and it should be available to all children who need it. As an American farmer, I am proud to know that a portion of my crop will ensure that more of the world's children will survive this life-threatening condition, and that U.S. farmers can help advance our nation's efforts to end child malnutrition."

Quote from Krysta Harden, President and CEO of the U.S. Dairy Export Council
"We are deeply appreciative of Congress's increased funding for Ready-to-Use Therapeutic Foods. This increased investment underscores the essential role that nutrient-rich dairy ingredients play in fighting malnutrition globally. By supporting these vital nutrition packages, Congress not only helps improve health outcomes for the most vulnerable populations but also strengthens the contributions of the U.S. dairy industry to global food security."

Quote from Gregg Doud, President and CEO of the National Milk Producers Federation
"NMPF thanks Chairman Díaz-Balart for prioritizing funding for Ready-to-Use Therapeutic Foods to address global child malnutrition. RUTF incorporates nutrient-dense dairy products that play a crucial role in combating the worst forms of food insecurity around the world. We look forward to moving this important legislation forward into law."

About RUTF: Ready-to-Use Therapeutic Food (RUTF) is a lifesaving, medical-grade paste that nourishes children suffering from the most severe form of malnutrition back to health in a matter of weeks. With a cost of approximately $1 per day, RUTF offers a recovery rate of up to 90 percent. Much of the world's RUTF is produced in the United States with ingredients (peanuts, dairy, soy, sugar, and micronutrients) and production materials sourced from 28 states.

SOURCE Malnutrition Advocacy Fund