USDA INVITES THE PUBLIC TO HELP DEVELOP A U.S. ACTION PLAN ON FOOD SECURITY
                                            Release No. 0241.97


                                     Tom Amontree (202) 7204623
                                             Tamontree@usda.gov
                                  Carolyn Harris (202) 690-1851
                                           HarrisC@fas.usda.gov



USDA INVITES THE PUBLIC TO HELP DEVELOP A U.S. ACTION PLAN ON FOOD SECURITY

     WASHINGTON, July 18, 1997--The U.S. Department of Agriculture invites
the public to participate in the development of a U.S. Action Plan on Food
Security July 21, 1997, from 1:00 to 5:00 pm, in Room 107-A of the Whitten
Building, 14th Street and Independence Avenue, 
S. W., Washington, DC.

     USDA is encouraging public comments and suggestions to help develop a
national strategy that will contribute to reducing hunger and malnourishment
in the world by half by the year 2015.  

     This effort is part of the U.S. follow-up to the World Food Summit
sponsored by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations in
Rome last November.  Topics to be discussed include: education in food
security, causes of food insecurity, nutrition education, food access for
all, household economic security, sustainable agriculture and environment,
safe and affordable food and water, health, population stabilization, role
of women, trade, food distribution, economic policy, food aid, and
maximizing and targeting resources.

     Additional consultations will be held on September 23-24, 1997, at
USDA headquarters in Washington.  For further information, contact the
Office of the National Food Security Coordinator by telephone at (202) 690-0776 or by facsimile at (202) 720-6103 or by writing to the Foreign
Agricultural Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Washington, DC 20250-1081.
                                
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