Posted on 02/27/2025 10:56:17 AM PST by Oldeconomybuyer
MANA Nutrition makes a special kind of peanut butter paste that many humanitarian aid workers are familiar with. It is fortified with milk and essential vitamins, packed with calories and sent to severely malnourished children around the world, including some countries in Africa.
On Wednesday afternoon, Mark Moore, the CEO and co-founder of the Fitzgerald, Georgia-based plant, got word from the US Agency for International Development: MANA’s contracts with the agency were being canceled.
CNN spoke with Moore just minutes after he said he received a series of contract termination letters from USAID. Still reeling, Moore described the furious scramble that the news had set off at his plant.
In normal times, Moore’s plant produces 10 pouches of the lifesaving paste every second. Each small bag contains 500 calories’ worth of the special peanut butter — which does not require refrigeration or additional preparation — and is labeled “RUTF” for “Ready-to-Use Therapeutic Food.”
Erin Boyd, a USAID nutrition adviser who was laid off from the agency in January, told CNN it is not an overstatement to say that children will die as a result of the decimation of USAID and funding for RUTF.
“Even before this happened, there wasn’t enough funding to treat all the children who were presenting wasting.” Boyd said.
And it’s not just the production of RUTF that Boyd is alarmed about. She worries that the overhaul of USAID will mean the elimination of countless humanitarian programs around the world designed to save impoverished children.
“It will just mean that kids’ programs don’t exist; the children don’t even get identified as malnourished, and they’ll die at home and we won’t know,” Boyd said.
(Excerpt) Read more at cnn.com ...
Winning!
Why can’t Africans grow their own food?
I’ll tell you why. Constantly dumping free food, makes it unprofitable for African farmers to grow food, because you can’t compete with free food.
Aid is Evil!
I dunno. Maybe this company is doing wonderful things. But the government should not be in the peanut butter business.
Line up corporate sponsors. Solicited donations from wealthy folks who believe in the mission. That’s the way to go.
They likely do not pay taxes, like we do. They are robed dry by their governments.
Those people are likely required to pay for those rations, in order that their rulers can enjoy themselves on Riviera!
The corruption on many of those “poor” states is incredible!
They should be forced to fix themselves!
Right now, most of our help end in the pockets of the rulers!
This revelation is CNN’s breaking heart story, aimed at President Donald J. Trump.
It misses the mark.
When will they stop? Never.
Pay attention to the source and what they want you to believe.
CNN? NOPE!
I don’t have any problem with providing this for temporary natural disaster areas, as a goodwill and humanitarian gesture.
The manufacturer should contact the State Dept and see if the contract will be renewed and delivery of product is transparent and proven.
What I want to see cut is the stuff that destroys our reputation as a nation, such as promotion of abortion, puppet shows promoting perversion and unwholsome behaviors that undercut strong families, food aid that doesn’t actually get the aid to where it is needed but just supports some unaccountable contractor, or worse, undermines native farmers by saturating their market. Years ago free rice to Haiti, done in the guise of charity but in reality to prop up US farmers, actually destroyed Haitian rice farmers who could not compete with free American rice.
Guess thats why there’s so many starving animal commercials on during Andy Griffith.
“ Each small bag contains 500 calories…”
That’s about 5 ozs. of peanut butter, plus a few cents of dried milk and vitamins.
I wonder how much he charges us for each one.
Years ago free rice to Haiti, done in the guise of charity but in reality to prop up US farmers, actually destroyed Haitian rice farmers who could not compete with free American rice.
Exactly!
If it’s so important, have the United Nations fund it. Better yet, start a new international organization that is actually focused on humanitarian issues rather than political ones, have them pay for it, and eliminate the UN altogether.
Sounds like a nice charity for private donors to fund willingly.
The Constitution does not empower the US government to seize by threat and force the earnings of citizens, or borrow money the public must repay, for the purpose of feeding the poor of the world.
I remember government ration peanut butter back in the 60’s and 70’s. A big #10 can, and semi-hard peanut butter cement. But it was great. I mean really great. It was like Crazy Richard’s brand.
And no mention whatsoever of building an “aid” structure so dependent upon JIT cash payments that people will die if it’s delayed in any way.
Sounds more like an insurance policy against accountability.
If the 10% of USAID that did anything worthwhile can be so easily derailed, than it needs to be reorganized. No time like the present!
Ay, por favor-esta mierda otra vez? The CEO of the plant in Georgia that produces this magic peanut butter is pissed because his contract to make and send this product to Africa is cancelled-not a word about the kids in the USA who might need extra nutrition. How about Africans feed their own kids for a change? As Christians, we are taught charity begins at home-and it is voluntary-not forced on anyone. This is not charity-this is just another USAID scam...
oh no!! give all the ill gotten gains back to the NGO’s like god intended. Is Nutella affected? Please tell me they are still getting Nutella...
And no else can make it! And no other peanut butter will work!
That’s it! Stop all attempts to cut the budget! Won’t somebody please think of the children?!
How about taking a second collection at church next Sunday?
It is time for rich philanthropists to step up and help others. It would costs far less without the democrat kickbacks.
Fact, great comment.
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