FSA Vacancies

FSA Vacancies

Bob Larson
Bob Larson
I’m Bob Larson. This year’s growing season has thrown one challenge after another at producers, from record heat and drought to COVID.

But, nearly a year into the Biden Administration, the Chair of the Western Caucus, U.S. Representative Dan Newhouse says one of the big frustrations for farmers currently is preventable, and that’s staffing problems at the Farm Service Agency …

NEWHOUSE … “Here we are 10 months into this new administration and we still have staff positions throughout the FSA offices around the country, I know for sure in the state of Washington, that have not been filled. And so there again, we have a tremendous amount of need on the part of our producers and nobody in those positions to make decisions, let alone answer questions for our producers to be able to get the assistance that they need.”

Newhouse says farmers often depend on the FSA for direction …

NEWHOUSE … “We are urging the agency to please, please fill these positions. It’s, like I said, we’re almost a year in and still a lot of offices are empty.”

And that, Newhouse says has got to change …

NEWHOUSE … “I believe it’s part of my job to push the bureaucracy, to get them to be responsive to the people they serve. And, there’s no excuse for dragging their feet.”

Only six states have appointed FSA state Executive Directors.

Currently, all three Northwest states have “acting” FSA state Executive Directors.

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