WASHINGTON - Iowa farmers will likely benefit from a recently-signed Food For Progress agreement between the United States and Madagascar.

U.S. Agriculture Secretary Mike Johanns and Madagascar's Minister of Agriculture, Livestock and Fisheries, Harison Randriarimanana, signed the agreement and a memorandum of understanding to enhance the agricultural trade and technical assistance between the two countries.

The Food for Progress agreement, valued at $10 million, will provide Madagascar 15,000 metric tons of soybeans, 3,000 tons of wheat and 500 tons of nonfat dry milk that will be sold by its government. The proceeds will be used to establish a national agricultural statistics system, strengthen agricultural regulatory policies and commodity standards, conduct a school milk program in rural villages and provide farmer training in cooperatives, marketing and credit.

The Food for Progress program provides for donations of agricultural commodities to needy countries to encourage economic or agricultural reforms that foster free enterprise. This year, USDA expects to donate more than 300,000 tons of U.S. commodities, valued at around $125 million, to 16 countries under the Food for Progress Program. The supply period for this donation to Madagascar is September-December.