Saturday 19 May 2012

USDAupdate

USDA Plan to Close Hundreds of Offices Raises Safety Concerns

The Associated Press is reporting on an announcement from the The U.S. Agriculture Department (USDA), which saidit will close nearly 260 offices nationwide, a move that won praise for cutting costs but raised concerns about the possible effect on food safety.

Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack said the goal was to save $150 million a year in the agency’s $145 billion budget. About $90 million had already been saved by reducing travel and supplies, and the closures were expected to save another $60 million, he said.

The plan calls for 259 offices, labs and other facilities to be closed, affecting the USDA headquarters in Washington and operations in 46 states. Seven foreign offices also will be shut.

Some of the closures had been previously announced. The USDA said last year it would shut down 10 agricultural research stations, including the only one in Alaska, where scientists were seeking ways to use the vast waste generated by the largest wild fishery in the nation to make everything from gel caps for pills to fish meal for livestock feed.

Elisabeth Hagen, undersecretary for food safety, said the closures would affect management and support staff as Food Safety Inspection Service (FSIS) offices are consolidated from 15 to 10, but that there wouldn’t be a reduction in inspectors or inspection work.

“There will be no reduction in inspection presence at slaughter and processing facilities and no risk for consumers,” Hagen said.

“Not only do we have a statutory obligation to be in every facility, we have an unwavering commitment to food safety,” she added. “We will still be on the job, in every facility, every day.”

These announced plan calls to close or consolidate facility, office and lab operations will impact USDA headquarters in Washington and in 46 states and 1 U.S. territory, including the following:

  • Farm Service Agency (FSA): Consolidate 131 county offices in 32 states; more than 2,100 FSA offices remain throughout the United States
  • Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS): Close 2 country offices; more than 95 FAS offices remain throughout the world
  • Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS): Close 15 APHIS offices in 11 states and 5 APHIS offices in 5 foreign countries; more than 560 APHIS offices remain throughout the United States and 55 remain throughout the world
  • Rural Development (RD): Close 43 area and sub offices in 17 states and U.S. territories; approximately 450 RD offices remain throughout the United States
  • Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS): Close 24 soil survey offices in 21 states; more than 2,800 NRCS offices remain throughout the United States
  • Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS): Close 5 district offices in 5 states; 10 district offices remain throughout the United States
  • Agricultural Research Service (ARS): Close 12 programs at 10 locations; more than 240 programs remain throughout the United States
  • Food, Nutrition and Consumer Services (FNCS): Close 31 field offices in 28 states; 32 FNCS offices will remain throughout the United States

The USDA manages a wide array of programs, from emergency aid for farmers to grants for rural development and food assistance programs for the poor. Along with the Agricultural Research and Food Safety and Inspection services, six other departments will be affected by closures, including the Farm Service Agency and Rural Development. The full text of its report, which is titled “Streamlined, Modernized Department Central to 21st Century USDA” can be found here.

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