Washington, D.C. —
Senator John Thune has introduced legislation (S.944) that would stop any potential FSA county office closures until the Secretary of Agriculture conducts a study on cost savings and/or efficiencies at the three FSA headquarters locations and all state FSA offices. Additionally, this legislation requires that the report recommendations must be implemented at all FSA headquarters and state offices before any county FSA offices may be closed.
"After hearing from parties on both sides of this issue, it became clear to me that action is needed to ensure that FSA streamlining also includes the FSA headquarters and state offices - not just the county offices that deliver important programs and services to farmers and ranchers," Thune said. "While I strongly support finding cost savings and improved efficiencies at every level of government, they should be initiated from the top down, not the bottom up. If changes need to be made, they should not come at the expense of farmers and ranchers."
It was announced earlier this month by South Dakota's State FSA office that six South Dakota county FSA offices are slated to be closed and two more may be consolidated in a new location. This would impact farmers and ranchers serviced by 13 county offices. This plan, which has been met with significant opposition in South Dakota, is currently under review by the national FSA office in Washington, DC.
"After hearing from parties on both sides of this issue, it became clear to me that action is needed to ensure that FSA streamlining also includes the FSA headquarters and state offices - not just the county offices that deliver important programs and services to farmers and ranchers," Thune said. "While I strongly support finding cost savings and improved efficiencies at every level of government, they should be initiated from the top down, not the bottom up. If changes need to be made, they should not come at the expense of farmers and ranchers."
It was announced earlier this month by South Dakota's State FSA office that six South Dakota county FSA offices are slated to be closed and two more may be consolidated in a new location. This would impact farmers and ranchers serviced by 13 county offices. This plan, which has been met with significant opposition in South Dakota, is currently under review by the national FSA office in Washington, DC.