10/30/07 Congress fights FSA office consolidation/closures

The Farm Service Agency says it's trying to help the nation's farmers and ranchers by closing or consolidating some of its offices. Congress doesn't like that. BAUCUS "It's an outrage." Montana Senator Max Baucus is one of the backers of the Senate farm bill which contains a provision requiring FSA to get congressional approval before closing so called 'critical access' offices. The House passed farm bill puts a one year moratorium on all FSA office closures. Acting Secretary of Agriculture Chuck Conner says the House and Senate need to face some facts, and one of them is that things have changed. Many counties have become urbanized and don't have any farmers or ranchers. CONNER "You know we still need to work to educate members of congress about really the consequences of these offices and the consequences of forcing these offices to stay open often times when there is literally is virtually no business left going on in that office. Just no activity at all." Idaho has already consolidated two offices; Ada and Canyon were combined into one office and so were Kootenai and Benewah. Undersecretary of Agriculture Mark Keenum says closures and consolidation will help ag producers. KEENUM "Better services to farmers. That's what our whole approach has been about." Today's Idaho Ag News Bill Scott