VLADIVOSTOK, Russia -- A cloud of wheat billows across the Sea of Japan as the U.S. freighter Juneau vacuums its hold and unloads 80 tons of grain onto a smaller Russian vessel capable of navigating shallow ports in the region.
The shipment, which began in Vancouver, Washington, two weeks ago and will end up as bread and macaroni in kitchens throughout the Russian Far East, marks the first load of food for the Russian Far East under a $1 billion U.S. Department of Agriculture aid program for Russia.
Over the next few months, the United States will provide a nation in crisis with 3.1 million metric tons of food, including wheat, corn, rice, dry milk, poultry and seeds. This shipment will be distributed by ship and rail to eight cities throughout the Russian Pacific region. A shipload of seeds has already been delivered in St. Petersburg, on the Baltic Sea.