WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Jerry Moran (R-Kan.) – co-chair of the Senate Hunger Caucus – today spoke on the U.S. Senate Floor, marking one month since Vladimir Putin’s invasion of Ukraine began, to draw attention to the growing global hunger crisis intensified by the conflict in Ukraine. Currently 45 million people across 43 countries are on the brink of famine.

“Food stability is essential to political stability,” said Sen. Moran. “Ukraine is a large grain-producing country, not just in wheat, but ranking as a top ten global exporter of corn, sunflower oil and other commodities. As Vladimir Putin’s tyranny continues, countries around the globe will teeter over the edge, falling further into widespread hunger. As we have seen in the humanitarian disaster unfolding in Afghanistan and the developing crisis caused by this invasion of Ukraine, it is critical to utilize every tool at our disposal to combat this worsening hunger crisis.”

“Coming from the state of Kansas, America’s largest supplier of wheat, I can tell you that the effects this invasion will have on the stability of our ag markets should be alarming and could prove to be catastrophic for our global food supply,” continued Sen. Moran. “As a member of the Agriculture Appropriations Subcommittee which funds the Food for Peace and the McGovern-Dole Program, I urge the United States to quickly provide the necessary commodities through sale or donation to meet countries’ unsatisfied food and commodity needs. This includes releasing the resources within the Bill Emerson Humanitarian Trust – an emergency international food assistance program to combat global hunger in instances of ‘exceptional need’ – in instances as this one requires.”

Russia is the world’s largest exporter of wheat, and Ukraine is the world’s fifth largest exporter; together they account for nearly 30 percent of global wheat exports. During the speech, Sen. Moran continued his call to utilize the Bill Emerson Humanitarian Trust to purchase U.S. commodities to donate to food emergency situations.

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