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Feds propose consolidation of farming agencies

Montgomery, Clark farmers may have to go farther for services.

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By Joanne Huist Smith, Staff Writer 9:53 PM Saturday, January 21, 2012

A cost-savings proposal to consolidate federal farm service agencies could mean Montgomery and Clark county farmers have to travel farther for services.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Farm Service Agency administers federal farm programs such as crop subsidies, conservation programs, insurance and emergency loans to help farmers recover from losses due to natural disasters or quarantine. The proposal by the USDA calls for consolidating five FSA county offices, including those in Montgomery and Clark counties.

“This is about saving money and being able to operate with a reduced work force,” said Steven Maurer, executive director of Ohio FSA. “There will be few people who are glad about us doing this.”

Montgomery County’s FSA office in Brookville would consolidate with one in Preble County, which is located 20 miles away in Eaton. The two offices already share an executive director, who divides his time between the two locations. Montgomery County has two full-time staff, compared to five in Preble County. The cost savings in rent and utilities is estimated at $25,000 a year, Maurer said.

“Agricultural wise, Preble is the larger county. It’s more rural,” Maurer said.

The Clark County FSA in Springfield, with two employees, would consolidate with the office in Madison County. The office in London has five employees.

“They’re relatively close, about 13 miles apart,” Maurer said. “It just made sense.”

Jim Dillion, administrator of the Montgomery Soil & Water District, opposes the Preble/Montgomery consolidation. His district constructed a $260,000 addition to its Brookville facility in 2001 to comply with a federal mandate to co-locate with the Montgomery County FSA office, then in New Lebanon, with the USDA Natural Resource Conservation Service.

“We made a considerable investment and created a Montgomery County Agricultural Service Center as a one-stop shop, to avoid losing this office to Preble County,” Dillion said. “This centralization and the convenience of having all these government services in one building is no accident. It was in response to a cry for efficiency and government cooperation over 10 years ago.”

The USDA Farm Service Agency has scheduled public meetings in counties where offices may close. The Montgomery County meeting will be held a 1 p.m. on Jan. 30 at the Golden Gate Park, Leiber Center, 545 E. Upper Lewisburg Salem Road in Brookville.

Dillion encourages farmers who oppose the consolidation to join in a “Tractorcade” at 11 a.m. on Jan. 30 starting at Keller Animal Feeds & Needs, 11597 Upper Lewisburg Road in Brookville.

“Bring your semi, tractor, or truck to join in,” he said, adding the group will travel to Golden Gate Park, where there will be free chili and coffee prior to the meeting. He said anti-consolidation petitions may be signed at Boone Nursery, Brookville Rental, Dull Homestead Inc., Keller Animal Feeds & Needs, Koening Equipment, and the Montgomery Soil & Water Conservation Office.

Local meetings on farm service mergers:

Montgomery County Farm Service Agency to be consolidated with Preble County

When: 1 p.m. on Jan. 30

Where: Golden Gate Park, Leiber Center, 545 E. Upper Lewisburg Salem Road, Brookville

Clark County Farm Service Agency to be consolidated with Madison County

When: 1 p.m., Feb. 1

Where: Clark County Fairgrounds, The Annex Building, 4401 S. Charleston Pike in Springfield

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