Silver Spring, Maryland—On March 21, 2007, Charles Sandefur, president of the Adventist Development and Relief Agency (ADRA) International, testified before the United States Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry. Sandefur's testimony highlighted the need for continued U.S. funding of food security programs around the world.

Sandefur appeared before the Senate committee as chair of the Alliance for Food Aid. Founded in 2006, the Alliance is a group of U.S.-based private voluntary organizations and cooperatives (PVOs) actively involved in food security initiatives in 120 countries. The Alliance's fourteen members include ADRA, Africare, American Red Cross, Food for the Hungry International, International Relief & Development, Project Concern International, and World Vision.

Sandefur framed his testimony around the United Nation's Millenium Development Goal to cut hunger in half by 2015. Noting that the problem of hunger has increased by five percent since 2000, he asked the committee to renew its commitment to funding international food aid, as part of the 2007 Farm Bill.

"Food aid is our nation's principal program to combat hunger and its causes," asserted Sandefur during his testimony. "Most important is assuring predictable levels for both chronic and emergency needs and reversing the downward trend in funding for multi-year development programs," he continued.

Afterwards, Sandefur discussed what the Alliance expected to accomplish through his testimony. "We hope that our testimony and the testimony of others who share our commitment to eradicating hunger in the world will speak to the conscience and commitment of the people of the United States to provide more funding and more support for food aid for hungry people around the world," said Sandefur. "We are optimistic that this will be a priority of our government."

In an encouraging step, on March 22 the Senate Appropriations Committee approved $475 million more in food aid funding as part of the fiscal 2007 emergency supplemental spending bill, substantially higher than the $350 million additional funding originally requested by the Administration. The Committee also approved $82 million to replenish the Bill Emerson Humanitarian Trust, which funds early responses to food crises.

"The Alliance for Food Aid strongly supports passage of these levels in the Senate and in the final bill, which will provide food aid for nearly 10 million people with urgent needs, assure early response is available if crises continue or increase, and reverse the trend of shifting developmental program funding to emergencies," commented Ellen Levinson, executive director of the Alliance.

ADRA is present in 125 countries, providing community development and emergency management without regard to political or religious association, age, gender, or ethnicity.

Additional information about ADRA can be found at www.adra.org.

-END-

Media Contact: Tereza Byrne ADRA International 12501 Old Columbia Pike Silver Spring, MD 20904 Phone: 301.792.9850 E-mail: Tereza.Byrne1@cs.com