Amendment addresses closures of Farm Service Agency offices

The congressman's spokesman says the amendment is likely to become law.
By ED RUNYAN
VINDICATOR TRUMBULL STAFF
WARREN -- Congressman Tim Ryan of Niles, D-17th, inserted an amendment in the Department of Agriculture appropriations bill in response to possible relocation of two Farm Service Agency offices in his district.
Relocation of the Cortland office to Orwell and the Portage County office to Stark County has been proposed; a final decision on the closings has not been made, officials report. The Trumbull County FSA office is in the Trumbull County Agriculture and Family Education Center on Main Street.
The U.S. House of Representatives passed the $18.4 billion fiscal 2007 Agriculture Appropriations Bill last week. The Ryan amendment to the bill provides expanded opportunities for communities to comment on potential closures of FSA offices. The Senate also must pass agriculture appropriations.
Ryan spokesman Ryan Keating said the amendment, which he expects will become law, will provide opportunities for comment before the U.S. Secretary of Agriculture approves a state's request for closure.
For now, communities protesting plans for closure and relocation are permitted to comment only after the Secretary of Agriculture's approval.
Keating said in the case of the two local offices, Ryan found out about the potential closings because of a draft proposal from the state FSA office.
So far the state FSA office has not submitted its proposal to the Department of Agriculture, Keating said.
Letters to officials
Ryan also has written letters on the issue.
In April, he wrote to U.S. Agriculture Secretary Mike Johanns and John Stevenson, Ohio Farm Service Agencies executive director, saying the relocation of the Cortland office to Orwell and the Portage County office to Stark County would divide the state.
There would be almost no offices closed in the western part of Ohio. Twelve would close in the eastern part, he noted.
The letters say consolidating offices in this way will present a hardship for farmers in the 17th District who do not have access to the Internet and who will have to drive a long distance to obtain program information and other resources.
runyan@vindy.com