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22 Farm Service Agency offices targeted Tuesday, Sep 27, 2005 By Elizabeth Piet Stephens Washington Bureau WASHINGTON -- As many as 22 Farm Service Agency offices in Arkansas could be closed or consolidated in a nationwide reorganization, according to federal officials. Dotson Collins, Farm Service Agency executive director in the state, said he has until Nov. 15 to recommend which of the state's 62 offices should be affected. Collins said he will consider factors such as the distance between offices and the number of employees at each branch, which are located in most counties. Collins met with other state directors and national Farm Service Agency leaders in Washington, D.C., on Friday and Saturday. At the meeting, each of the nation's 2,351 Farm Service Agency offices were rated based on distance between offices and workload, said Steve Connelly, the agency's assistant deputy administrator for farm programs. Collins declined to identify Arkansas offices that may be affected until he has reviewed the information he received in Washington. "There's always concerns," he said. "Today there is not a single county that is targeted. They're all going to be considered." Collins said there would be no staff reductions but offices may be merged. There are currently 319 employees serving roughly 40,000 farmers in Arkansas, he said. "This is not a budget matter," he said. "It's to furnish service better to farmers." The Farm Service Agency provides credit to new or disadvantaged farmers and ranchers, helps farmers recover from disasters and provides payments to stabilize farm incomes. The agency aims to close 713 offices nationwide. The largest share will come from the Southeast where 256 of 671 offices will be closed. Sen. Mark Pryor, D-Ark., said Monday he wants more explanation from the Agriculture Department how closing offices helps farmers. "Sometimes when they talk about efficiency here, what they mean is less customer service," he said. "I just think we need to look at it before we haul off and close 22 of Arkansas' 62 offices." Pryor said he wouldn't necessarily be against closures if the department justified its policy. Farm Service Agency employees are vital to helping farming communities through tough times such as the current situation with increased fuel costs, barge problems and drought, Pryor said. "Whenever I talk to farmers in Arkansas they're concerned about the office closures," he said. "It's like taking away one of their assets." Sen. Blanche Lincoln, D-Ark., also questioned the move. "At a time when our farmers are experiencing extremely high operating costs due to severe drought conditions and high fuel costs, I strongly oppose the consolidation or closure of county FSA offices," Lincoln said. "This is the worst time to reduce farmer access to USDA assistance programs." The Senate last week passed an amendment by Pryor and Sen. Jim Talent, R-Mo., that would bar the Agriculture Department from carrying out its plan until it conducted an analysis to ensure the closures would be cost-effective and improve services for farmers. Connelly said the agency is attempting to spread the burden across the country. The agency hopes to implement the consolidations by Sept. 30, 2006. "Our goal is to have offices that are better staffed and with better equipment," he said. "Our staff members are great, but we throw an awful lot of programs at them." There are 30 offices nationwide with no full-time employees, Connelly said. "We are in a time of diminishing resources," he said. "This is really an exercise in good government." Connelly said the state executive directors had mixed reactions to the task before them. "This is probably going to meet some opposition from a variety of different fronts, but for the long-term strength of the FSA, we need this," he said. -- 30 -- Box with Farm Service Agency story The Agriculture Department plans to close or consolidate 713 Farm Service Agency offices. The Southeastern states, including Arkansas, would have the largest share. Arkansas: 35.48 percent would close Southeast: 38.15 percent Southwest: 27.61 percent Northeast: 30.26 percent Northwest: 19.65 percent Midwest: 30.06 percent National: 30.33 percent Source: Farm Service Agency |
