Food shipments from Boston for those in need may be jeopardized by USAID dispute
BOSTON - Tons of food in Boston earmarked by Congress for people in need is now at risk of going to waste due to disputes over USAID.
President says cuts to USAID are needed
On Friday, a federal judge stepped in to temporarily prevent the Trump administration from dramatically slashing USAID, the government agency responsible for delivering foreign aid. The judge ordered at least 2,200 employees must remain on the job. President Donald Trump said, however, that cuts are needed.
"We have to take some of these things apart to find the corruption and we've found tremendous corruption," said the president.
Senate leaders said the move to cut USAID is impacting critical food shipments stuck in limbo. A congressional aide told CBS that 29,000 tons of food worth $39 million is sitting in USAID warehouses in Houston, waiting to be shipped out. The aide said there's also food waiting to be loaded in Boston and seven other port cities.
"Given the situation, USAID, it's a deeply valuable organization," said Ashley Stanley, the founder and CEO of Spoonfuls in Boston, a food recovery organization. "It's got measurable impact. I think it's shortsighted to interrupt its work."
Food at risk of going to waste
Stanley said she's seen firsthand what happens when food is wasted.
"When the food doesn't get to where it needs to get to, it winds up in a landfill and that has devastating effects," said Stanley.
The food aid that's stuck is produced all over the country, including ready to use therapeutic food that's made in Rhode Island. The therapeutic food is used to treat severe malnutrition in children.
"We have a supply of food, people are starving, people are suffering," said Stanley. "It is our responsibility, it is on us to make sure that it can get to where it needs to go and now and so figuring out that piece of distribution and how to allow this food to continue moving in that direction is extremely important right now."
The federal judge who granted the restraining order keeping the USAID workers employed pressed government lawyers for evidence of corruption at the agency. No evidence has been produced yet.
