Emerson Trust sending wheat to Sudanese

American wheat is being sent to the African nation of Sudan through the efforts of the Bill Emerson Humanitarian Trust.

Emerson's widow, U.S. Rep. Jo Ann Emerson, R-Missouri, announced that the trust has donated 200,000 metric tons of wheat to avert famine in Sudan.

She and 29 of her colleagues in the U.S. House of representatives asked the U.S. Department of Agriculture in November to release the wheat from the Bill Emerson Humanitarian Trust.

"Bill cared a great deal for food aid programs," Emerson said.

"Growing up in Southern Missouri it made plain sense to him that part of the crops we raise go to fight hunger."

Emerson stressed that for millions of people in Sudan, the wheat will make a difference between life and death.

The Bill Emerson Humanitarian Trust is a reserve of wheat, corn, rice and sorghum that can be used to fulfill food aid commitments made by the U.S. to developing nations.