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May 21, 2025 \u2013 <\/b>The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is canceling grants under the McGovern-Dole International Food for Education and Child Nutrition Program, including to Catholic Relief Services (CRS), the international aid group said Wednesday<\/a>. The cessation of aid under the program will end school feeding programs for 780,000 children across 11 countries at CRS, just one group impacted by the cuts. Politico first reported<\/a> on the agency\u2019s plan to make the cuts yesterday.<\/p>\n \u201cThis decision isn\u2019t just a policy shift\u2014it\u2019s a life-altering blow to hundreds of thousands of children who rely on these meals to stay healthy, stay in school and stay hopeful about their future,\u201d CRS CEO Sean Callahan said in a statement. \u201cIt is un-American to stand by and not provide assistance while hunger robs children of their chance to learn and thrive.\u201d<\/p>\n The program provides U.S. agricultural commodities and technical expertise to help education, childhood development, and food security in lesser developed countries. Along with Catholic Relief Services, McGovern-Dole projects are undertaken by nonprofit organizations, cooperatives, the United Nations World Food Programme, and others, according to the USDA.<\/p>\n \u201cBy providing school meals, teacher training and related support, McGovern-Dole projects help boost school enrollment and academic performance,\u201d the agency says. \u201cAt the same time, the program also focuses on improving children\u2019s health and learning capacity before they enter school by offering nutrition programs for pregnant and nursing women, infants and preschoolers.\u201d<\/p>\n The canceled grants will mean less demand for U.S. farmer commodities, even as other trade policies<\/a> are pinching growers. And it will contribute to shrinking the United States\u2019 soft-power influence around the world. The Trump administration dismantled USAID<\/a>, a key agency in this endeavor, in March.<\/p>\n