The Congressional Record is a unique source of public documentation. It started in 1873, documenting nearly all the major and minor policies being discussed and debated.
“RECOGNIZING NORTH DAKOTA FARM SERVICE AGENCY EMPLOYEES” mentioning the U.S. Dept of Agriculture was published in the Senate section on pages S1381 on March 10, 2015.
The publication is reproduced in full below:
RECOGNIZING NORTH DAKOTA FARM SERVICE AGENCY EMPLOYEES
Ms. HEITKAMP. Mr. President, I wish to recognize the 302 U.S. Department of Agriculture Farm Service Agency--FSA--staff in North Dakota and thank them for their hard work and dedication to serving our State's farmers and ranchers.
The farm bill is perhaps the most important piece of legislation we can pass for North Dakota, and I am proud to have been a part of writing and passing it. But the work doesn't end when the President signs the bill. In fact, that is when the real work begins for hundreds of FSA employees.
Our farmers are faced with a big decision this month, when they will decide on both base acre reallocation and yield updates as well as elect which farm program they will participate in for the next 5 years.
This is a big decision for farmers, and one that will have effects on their bottom lines for the next 5 years. It is also a complicated decision. The 2014 farm bill gave producers the opportunity to tailor farm programs to their specific operation by choosing between revenue protection--at the county or individual farm level--or price protection coverage, or a combination of the two.
These important decisions are compounded for farmers with declining commodity prices and producers facing greater economic uncertainty than they have in recent years.
And that is why the FSA staff are so important. They held 307 informational sessions attended by 15,469 individuals across our State throughout the winter to update as many producers as possible on their options. And they have had long days with our farmers at the local level helping folks with base reallocation, yield updates, and program election. Producers recognize and appreciate their hard work and dedication, and I thank them for their service to our State. I have heard from farmers more than once that ``the ladies in the office know what they're doing and have been very helpful.''
I would also like to thank the North Dakota State University Extension Service staff for the countless hours they have put into educating producers about their options and walking them through how each program and economic scenario could affect them for the next 5 years.
Farmers and ranchers are the backbone of my State and this country. It is important that we continue to provide them with the tools and certainty they need. I thank the dedicated men and women of the Farm Service Agency who work daily to make this a reality.
____________________
