Public Meeting To Address Planned Closure Of Molino USDA Office

January 27, 2012

A public meeting will be held next week to discuss the federal government’s plan to close the USDA’s Escambia County Farm Services Agency office in Molino.

The public meeting will offer an opportunity for Escambia County farmers and ranchers to speak on the proposed closure. The USDA Florida Farm Service Agency management team will be on hand for the meeting, including State Executive Director Tim Manning, Administrative Office Mark Cottrell and Executive Officer Debby Folsom

The meeting will take place on Wednesday, February 1 at 10 a.m. at Highland Baptist Church at 6240 North Highway 95A in Molino.

On January 9, the USDA announced the proposed closure of their Molino office, the only Farm Service Agency Office in the North Escambia area to be shut down. The Santa Rosa County office in Milton and the Escambia County (Ala.) Office in Brewton will remain open.

The USDA has proposed to streamline operations and decrease costs under a plan that includes the consolidation of 131 county FSA offices in 32 states, including six in Florida.

The Molino FSA Office administers farm commodities, crop insurance, credit, environmental conservation and emergency assistance for farmers and ranchers in Escambia County.

Comments

9 Responses to “Public Meeting To Address Planned Closure Of Molino USDA Office”

  1. UGH!!! on January 27th, 2012 8:47 pm

    Mr. Claude-As an informed farmer, I can point out that you are speaking about which you know not!! Your complaint has absolutely nothing to do with the Farm Service Agency.

  2. zjon claude on January 27th, 2012 8:12 pm

    apply for a grant to install a well,,,, ,, who gets the well ,,, someone already farming ,,,, or someone wanting to farm ,… . point is clear ,, someone wanting to farm cannot start , someone already farming can gain substantialy from the well,. these are government programs that don’t help people to start farming, they only help after the farm is producing,,,. programs should help people get started.

  3. UGH!! on January 27th, 2012 6:40 pm

    Perception breeds ignorance!! Obviously some folks are terribly misinformed about the day to day operation of the Farm Service Agency. The description of what they do from a previous poster is way off base. Go by and see them, sit down and talk to them, they will be glad to explain the complexity of their programs to you. They will be the first to tell you consolidation is not a bad thing, but they can also show you that there are other counties in our state that do far less work with more employees. Instead of bashing the job they do, why don’t you become an informed member of our community and fight for them!!

  4. Southerner on January 27th, 2012 9:30 am

    Close It1

  5. Dirt Road Molino - not for long..... on January 27th, 2012 7:21 am

    I am not saying it is a good thing that they are closing this particular office – but I am glad to see that our government realizes that they have to make some cuts being that ALL of us as U.S. citizens have had to adjust to this downfall of an economy. Now if our government will just start implementing the same rules and guidelines for themselves like they are trying to put on us – then the economy might actually turn back around.

  6. Farmer Joe on January 27th, 2012 7:13 am

    >>they get a surplus of goods and give it out to whom ever they want,, most people don’t know what they have to offer and , arent informed. people that know about it are getting cause its free

    Huh? They take care of farm programs. They don’t hand out food or something else to people. You are confused

  7. Jane on January 27th, 2012 7:12 am

    If you have concerns please go to the meeting. Making accusations that may or not be true isn’t why they are having a meeting. They are having a meeting to see whether or not they need to close this operation here. I know many people who use this office to gain information regarding problems with crops or new crops they may want to plant. It isn’t about what’s free and who gets it.

  8. creekbather on January 27th, 2012 5:58 am

    should have been closed,,,a long time ago,,,. they get a surplus of goods and give it out to whom ever they want,, most people don’t know what they have to offer and , arent informed. people that know about it are getting cause its free , without needing.

  9. Jane on January 27th, 2012 4:48 am

    This office is the only one within reach of many farmers in the area. People should not (and probably will not) drive for over an hour to get to the new proposed site. I realize the government needs to make some cuts but closing this office would place a hardship on many of the farmers in the area. They need access to information here, not somewhere else!!!