FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

June 21, 2007

Lincoln, Nebraska

NEFU Supports Legislation to Prevent FSA Office Closures

John Hansen, President of the Nebraska Farmers Union thanked Nebraska’s Third Congressional District Representative Adrian Smith for his co-sponsorship of H.R. 1649, introduced by Rep. Stephanie Herseth-Sandlin (D-SD). The legislation would prevent USDA from closing any Farm Service Agency (FSA) county offices until one year after the completion of the Farm Bill. “Closing county offices in advance of the Congressional authorization of the 2007 Farm Bill is premature. No one, certainly not the State FSA Committee knows what the new Farm Bill program priorities will be. Representatives Smith and Herseth-Sandlin are on the right track to take a wait and see approach,” Hansen said.

The Nebraska State FSA recently released their final study report proposing to consolidate 10 of the 81 FSA county field offices. Those counties losing county offices include: Banner, Boyd, Deuel, Frontier, Sherman, Greeley, Thomas, Garfield, Dakota, and Hitchcock.

Hansen went on to say, “Closing county offices means local farmers and ranchers will spend more time and money out their pockets to participate in farm programs. That is the wrong way to save money. The root of the problem is chronic Congressional under funding of USDA technical and administrative services. In the last 16 years, Nebraska has lost nearly 300 permanent FSA employees. Yet, compared to 16 years ago, the current Farm Bill has many more programs to administer, and is more complicated. For example, the current Farm Bill has dramatically expanded conservation programs, which is good for our environment, ag producers, and rural communities. The public has every right to expect those conservation programs be properly installed and maintained. That takes staff.”

Nebraska Farmers Union has strongly opposed past efforts to close FSA county offices, and has supported adequate Congressional funding for USDA technical and administrative services. “The number and complexity of Farm Bill programs continues to increase, yet the level of federal funding for the technical services to administer those programs decreases. We have already cut too many employees. Inadequate funding for technical and administrative services will not go away by closing county FSA offices. If USDA wants to reduce its administrative costs, we suggest they start in Washington, DC, not at the local level. Closing local FSA offices does not save money in the short run, and if any long term savings do exist, they come directly out of the pockets of local farmers and ranchers,” Hansen concluded.

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