USAID reinstates contracts for Georgia company that helps feed malnourished kids after Elon Musk responds to CNN [View all]

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Source: CNN Politics

Published 7:12 AM EST, Mon March 3, 2025


Washington CNN — The CEO of a plant in Georgia that makes a special peanut butter paste for severely malnourished children around the world told CNN Sunday that his company’s contracts with the US Agency for International Development that had been abruptly canceled last week were all reinstated late Sunday night. Mark Moore, the founder MANA Nutrition, shared screenshots of the rescinded contract termination notifications with CNN.

“Thrilled,” he said in response to the news. He also told CNN that he was working to quickly start using USAID-labeled pouches in production again: “It’s a yo-yo. I just texted the factory and told them to switch back to USAID packaging as of midnight.” The development came after Elon Musk said on social media earlier on Sunday in response to CNN’s previous reporting about the terminated USAID contracts that he would “investigate” and “fix it.”

MANA’s canceled contracts had been the result of the Trump administration’s drastic efforts to slim down the federal government led by Musk, who leads a new government agency called the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE). Moore’s company makes a special kind of peanut butter paste – a type of RUTF (“Ready-to-Use Therapeutic Foods”) – that many humanitarian aid workers are familiar with. It is fortified with milk and essential vitamins, packed with calories and sent to severely malnourished children around the world, including some countries in Africa. USAID has historically supported and funded the development and distribution of RUTF products over the years.

On Wednesday afternoon, Moore got word from USAID that MANA’s contracts with the agency were being canceled. CNN spoke with Moore just minutes after he said he received a series of contract termination letters from USAID. One of his first orders of business was asking his workers mid-production to immediately stop putting labels that say “USAID” on the pouches that the peanut butter paste is squirted into. He said without contracts with the agency, he would not be allowed to distribute any products bearing the agency’s name.

Read more: https://www.cnn.com/2025/03/03/politics/usaid-reinstates-contracts-for-georgia-company/index.html

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Full headline: USAID reinstates contracts for Georgia company that helps feed malnourished kids after Elon Musk responds to CNN reporting