NFU Expresses Support for FSA Office Availability
For Immediate Release: March 5, 2007
Contact: Liz Friedlander, 202-314-3191ORLANDO, Fla. (March 5, 2007) – Delegates to National Farmers Union’s annual convention rebuffed Secretary of Agriculture Mike Johanns’ latest efforts to close and/or consolidate Farm Service Agency (FSA) county offices. The organization said the services these offices provide are invaluable to rural America.
FSA offices administer a wide range of federal farm, conservation and credit programs and the economic benefits they provide are vital to rural communities.
“Consolidating or closing FSA offices does not make sense, especially when the 2007 Farm Bill will likely include programs that require additional workload,” NFU President Tom Buis said.
Many in rural America have already felt the absence of an FSA office in their community, often making long drives to reach the closest office and losing valuable work time and incurring great fuel expenses.
Delegates also expressed support for increasing the funding of FSA staff to administer the wide range of programs America’s farmers and ranchers rely on.
