WASHINGTON, D.C., U.S. — The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) confirmed there will be no International Food Aid and Development Conference this year because of “U.S. government agencies facing a difficult budget environment and being urged to minimize conference events in light of these budget constraints.”

In lieu of a multi-day conference being held in Kansas City, Missouri, U.S., the USDA and USAID will organize a one-day public meeting in Washington, D.C., U.S., as an add-on to the Food Aid Consultative Group meeting in November.

Conference organizers said, “We know that this is not a complete substitute for the IFADC. and that we will have to be creative and thoughtful in how we organize this event. USDA and USAID will reach out to stakeholders during the planning of the one-day meeting.”

The IFADC drew stakeholders in the U.S. food assistance programs to Kansas City for the past 14 years.

The most recent conferences drew 700 or more participants from around the world, including senior officials of recipient countries, the World Food Program and other United Nations Agencies, private voluntary and charitable organizations and field and Washington staff and leaders of the USDA and USAID.