Published February 1993 — Download PDF of the original newspaper column
Byrd's-Eye View By U.S. Senator Robert C. Byrd Keeping Agriculture Department Offices Open in West Virginia
One of my continuing tasks is to keep reminding government officials and bureaucrats in Washington, D.C., of the unique needs of West Virginia. Recently, for example, the outgoing Secretary of Agriculture issued a reorganization plan closing or merging l,200 Department of Agriculture field offices nationwide, including 48 in West Virginia. Among offices proposed to be closed in our state were 26 Agricultural Stabilization and Conservation Service (ASCS) offices, 10 Farmers Home Administration (FmHA) offices, and 12 Soil Conservation Service offices. Given West Virginia's rugged terrain, its mining and timbering industries, and its large rural, agriculturally related population, the closure of 48 field of• flees in our state could impact thousands of West Virginians negatively and in• conveniently. Currently, all of West Virginia's 55 counties are served by a Department of Agriculture field office. Under the proposed reorganization plan, 22 of our counties would lose their field offices. Following issuance of the final reorganization plan, I promptly requested a meeting in my office with incoming Secretary of Agriculture Mike Espy. I informed the new Secretary of Agriculture of my concern that the large number of West Virginians dependent on his department's services not be left without assistance. I further reported that my office was receiving calls from West Virginians throughout our state upset about the loss of vital agriculture services in their areas. I am glad that Secretary Espy has decided to temporarily shelve the office-closing proposal. The Secretary wisely determined that any reorganization of the department should begin at the top, in Washington, and that the local communities served by field offices should have a voice in determining the nature of the reorganization. Further, at my request, Secretary Espy agreed to take particular care to consider West Virginia's special needs in any future reorganization plan. This is important for the multitudes of West Virginians who depend on Department of Agriculture field offices in their counties for necessary services and assistance in managing their lands, their farms, and their businesses. February 3, 1993