Last week Ag Secretary Tom Vilsack outlined the Blueprint for Stronger Service plan and Indiana Farm Service Agency Executive Director Julia Wickard tells Brownfield three county FSA offices: Lake, Morgan and St. Joseph meet the proposed criteria for closing. She says the criteria the Secretary used in identifying counties across the country as it relates to the Farm Service Agency were: offices that had two or fewer employees and are within twenty miles of another USDA office.
Wickard says that language came directly out of the 2008 Farm Bill. While there are changes to some of the FSA offices, Wickard emphasized, one thing that will not change is the service. She says it is about making sure FSA provides the best service to the producers across that counter or desk and making sure they have the tools they need to make the best decisions possible for their own operations.
Wickard says within 30 days a public meeting will be held in each of the affected counties – after that the Secretary will have 90 days to finalize which offices will be closed.
Latest: 
