There is a lot at stake with Russia?s invasion of Ukraine. That is seen in the amount of crops that would normally be exported from the smaller country. Russia has disrupted Ukraine’s infrastructure and even placed mines in the shipping lanes.
U.S. Ag Secretary Tom Vilsack was in Warsaw, Poland, meeting with his contemporaries about addressing the food supply situations for those countries who rely on Ukraine for their shipments.
Vilsack told our own lawmakers that there is a capability for us to provide humanitarian aid. The problem lies in the cost of shipping the supplies. While humanitarian efforts look to address the problem and not the cost, it must be understood that shipping costs are far more expensive than the value of what is being shipped.
Iowa Senator Joni Ernst has been quite vocal on the need to get humanitarian aid moving but says there hasn?t been a move of the money that was allocated for this. Also, U.S. law says our ships have to be flagged.
Secretary of State Antony Blinken told Ukraine?s foreign minister the US is committed to finding a solution to Ukraine?s food export problem. Blinken said the UN Security Council will also hold an emergency session soon, on global food insecurity.
