Today, the National Association of Farm Service Agency County Office Employees (NASCOE) presented Congressman Sanford D. Bishop, Jr. (GA-02) with its Legislator of the Year award during its national convention in Savannah, Georgia. Farm Service Agency (FSA) county office employees are the bridge between U.S. Department of Agriculture programs and farmers as well as ranchers.
NASCOE’s mission is to assist in every way possible to assure successful operation of FSA and the attainment of FSA’s objectives, to cooperate with other groups and organizations, to conserve and improve America’s soil resources, to secure equitable salaries, working conditions, and retirement provisions for all county office employees, and to promote the professionalism of FSA county office employees.
“Farm Service Agency county office employees are on the frontline of our agriculture industry helping our farmers, ranchers, and producers learn about and navigate the federal programs meant to assist them,” said Congressman Bishop. “These programs help farmers get through another planting season, recover from a natural disaster, and meet the many challenges faced by those in the agriculture industry. That is why I will continue to work hard in Congress to support these vital federal programs as well as the FSA offices and staff who make these programs work for our communities.”
When presenting Congressman Bishop with the award, NASCOE President Marcinda Kester noted that, “… he continuously demonstrates a bipartisan fiscally conservative stance that helps bring members together from both sides of the aisle to recognize and support the role of the American farmer and rancher.”
Kester added, “Congressman Bishop supported increases in funding for FY 2022 FSA Salaries and Expenses and helped NASCOE secure a specific amount of those funds to be used for hiring county office staff. Recently, he assisted NASCOE with securing a $68 million increase in FY 2023 FSA Salaries and Expenses. Congressman Bishop is an advocate for employees of the Farm Service Agency and has worked with NASCOE to secure needed funding for staff.”
Original source can be found here.
