Whitfield Fights to Keep KY FSA Offices Open | News | Congressman Ed Whitfield

News | Congressman Ed Whitfield | United States Representative

Whitfield Fights to Keep KY FSA Offices Open WASHINGTON ? U.S. Representative Ed Whitfield stood up for Kentucky farmers yesterday, calling on Farm Bill negotiators to provide the Farm Service Agency (FSA) with additional direction to keep FSA offices open in the state. Whitfield is working to prevent any future consolidation or closure of Kentucky FSA offices critical to the agriculture community.

?While I always support finding ways to rein in excessive federal spending, cutting off vital services to Kentucky farmers is certainly not the way to do it,? Whitfield said. ?Too many Kentuckians rely on FSA services to keep their farms running and thriving.?

Congressman Whitfield sent a letter to Chairman of the House Agriculture Committee Collin Peterson (D-MN) and Ranking Member Bob Goodlatte (R-VA) urging them to place stringent rules on FSA in the 2008 Farm Bill Reauthorization. The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) has been considering the idea of restructuring FSA offices in order to reduce costs for the past few years. Congressman Whitfield and Kentucky?s agriculture community have been concerned that this restructuring would force many of the state?s rural offices to close.

Last year, Congressman Whitfield supported a successful effort to thwart consolidation of FSA offices in the state, through language in the Fiscal Year 2008 Omnibus Appropriations bill which prohibited the USDA from closing, relocating, or even proposing to close or relocate any FSA office. That law will prevent any more offices from closing during the current federal Fiscal Year, which ends September 30. Congressman Whitfield is continuing his fight to find a long-term solution to this problem.

FSA offices provide valuable support services to Kentucky?s agriculture producers while employing numerous individuals throughout the state. Farmers in Kentucky rely on their local FSA offices to help them conserve land and water resources, provide loans to help them begin or improve their ventures and help them recover from the effects of disasters.

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