Sen. Hoeven Presses Ag Secretary Rollins To Fully Staff FSA Offices

WASHINGTON, D.C. (KVRR) — Sen. John Hoeven is asking the Ag Secretary to prioritize fully staffing Farm Service Agency field offices.

He is chairman of the Senate Agriculture Appropriations Committee.

Hoeven says it’s important to have staff in place as the USDA application process for weather-based disaster aid will begin in the coming weeks.

He thanked Secretary Brooke Rollins for already delivering $10 billion in market-based agriculture disaster assistance to producers.

“In North Dakota, 15,794 of your farmers and ranchers have received money through that first tranche, through the first $10 billion that emergency aid. On the weather-related programs that application opens in the next week or two,” said Rollins.

“We have to make sure we’re getting it done for our farmers and our ranchers every single day. We want to work together to find savings, but we have to know that we’re still going to deliver the service that keeps our family farms and ranches going, to the benefit of every single American,” said Hoeven.

“We appreciate Secretary Rollins making it a priority to fully-staff and keep open FSA offices. These front-line FSA officers are the ones who work directly with our farmers and ranchers and help provide the service they deserve.

Hoeven says $33.5 billion in agriculture disaster aid was secured at the end of the year to provide farmers and ranchers with a bridge as Congress works to improve crop insurance and update the next farm bill.