HR0637 94TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HR0637 LRB094 14359 CSA 49283 r

HOUSE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, The missions of the United States Department of Agriculture's (USDA) Farm Service Agency (FSA) include stabilizing farm income, helping farmers conserve land and water resources, providing credit to new or disadvantaged farmers or ranchers, and helping farm operations recover from the effects of disaster; and

WHEREAS, The USDA FSA was set up when the Department was reorganized in 1994; and

WHEREAS, Although its name has changed over the years, the FSA's relationship with farmers goes back to the 1930s; and

WHEREAS, The USDA FSA currently maintains 93 offices in the State of Illinois; and

WHEREAS, Secretary of Agriculture Johanns announced a proposal to modernize the USDA FSA; and

WHEREAS, This initiative, known as FSA Tomorrow, includes restructuring county offices and reorganizing state offices; and

WHEREAS, Under this proposal, 44 offices in Illinois have been identified that meet the criteria for consolidation; and

WHEREAS, It is expected the FSA will consolidate its physical presence in 26 of 93 counties; and

WHEREAS, Illinois county offices currently slated for office restructuring include: Alexander/Pulaski, Bond, Boone, Brown, Calhoun, Carroll, Cass, Coles, Cumberland, Dekalb, Dewitt, Gallatin/Hardin, Green, Grundy, Henderson, Franklin, Fulton, Jackson, Jersey, Johnson/Massac/Pope, Kane/DuPage, Kendall, Lawrence, Mason, Morgan, Monroe, Moultrie, Randolph, Richland, Rock Island, Perry, Peoria, Piatt, Saline, Scott, Schuyler, Union, Wabash, Warren, Washington, White, Whiteside, Williamson, and Winnebago; and

WHEREAS, No final decisions have been made regarding what office consolidations will occur; and

WHEREAS, The USDA FSA state executive directors are to submit consolidation proposals by November 15, 2005; and

WHEREAS, Concerns exist as to how these offices will be consolidated and how the consolidations will affect service levels, as well as distances farmers may have to travel to reach a USDA FSA office; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE NINETY-FOURTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we urge the USDA to reconsider consolidating the USDA FSA offices; and be it further

RESOLVED, That we urge the United States Congress to increase appropriations for the USDA FSA offices; and be it further

RESOLVED, That suitable copies of this resolution be presented to the President of the United States, the United States Secretary of Agriculture, each member of the Illinois congressional delegation, and the Illinois State Executive Director of the FSA.