{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "rows": [["https://www.tomudall.senate.gov/news/press-releases/nm-democrats-urge-usda-to-end-hiring-freeze-restore-critical-customer-service-staff-at-nrcs-fsa", "NM Democrats Urge USDA to End Hiring Freeze, Restore Critical Customer Service Staff at NRCS, FSA", "2017-11-27", "2017", "2017-11", "Democrat", "House", "NM", "Tom Udall", "U000039", "www.tomudall.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "November 27, 2017\n\t\t\t NM Democrats Urge USDA to End Hiring Freeze, Restore Critical \u2018Customer Service\u2019 Staff at NRCS, FSA \n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t \n\t\n\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n        \n\t\t\t\t 'These agencies are past the point of being able to do more with less and are now having to do less with less\u2019\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t WASHINGTON \u2014 Today, U.S. Senators Tom Udall and Martin Heinrich and U.S. Representatives Ben Ray Luj\u00e1n and Michelle Lujan Grisham urged U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Secretary Sonny Perdue to lift the USDA\u2019s current hiring freeze and restore staff field-based positions at the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) and Farm Services Agency (FSA). In a letter to Perdue, the lawmakers said that severe understaffing at these agencies -- an existing problem made worse by the hiring freeze \u2013 is hampering the delivery of the technical assistance, reimbursement, and support that New Mexico\u2019s farmers and ranchers need. \u201cThese agencies are past the point of being able to do more with less and are now having to do less with less,\u201d the lawmakers wrote.\r\n\"The NRCS provides invaluable face-to-face technical assistance and administrative support to America\u2019s farmers, ranchers and foresters to implement conservation funding, or as you have termed it, 'customer service,\u2019\u201d the lawmakers wrote to Perdue. \"The FSA staff are critical to delivering disaster programs, as well as providing the day-to-day technical assistance and administrative support for America's strong farm safety net through the administration of farm commodity programs.\u201d\r\n\"The current hiring freeze has been in place since January 22, 2017. But even before that, many states had accumulated a number of vacant field-based staff positions,\u201d the lawmakers continued. \"As of the last reported count, there were 1,446 vacancies at NRCS and equivalent reported numbers at FSA. With continued retirements, those numbers have likely increased. The Customer Service is not there, particularly when providing fellow community members the technical assistance, reimbursement, or assessment needed to keep New Mexico\u2019s farmers and ranchers producing the food and fuel that powers this nation. This is not by any fault of the employees, who are often working nights, weekends, and on some accounts twice their paid hours. The customers, New Mexico\u2019s farmers and ranchers, are not receiving the tools they need to implement these critical programs.\u201d\r\nThe lawmakers made reference to a June 13, 2017, Senate Agriculture Appropriations Subcommittee hearing, where Perdue acknowledged the need for improved \u201ccustomer service\u201d at USDA. \u201cDuring that hearing, you provided your commitment to look into this issue and to assure the front line would not be hit by cuts,\u201d the lawmakers wrote to Perdue. \"You noted that many existing NRCS and FSA offices only have one or two people, which can leave the offices woefully understaffed if one is sick and the other is out in the field. But the situation is even more dire. For example, the city of Carlsbad, New Mexico has been without any NRCS staff for nearly a year, leaving one of the most protective farm regions in the state unserved. Without these positions filled, the NRCS is unable to provide this customer service, which is harming our farmers, ranchers, and rural communities. In addition, by leaving these positions unfilled you are neglecting your promise to provide the necessary 'customer service.\u2019\u201d\r\nThe full letter can be found below and here.\r\nDear Secretary Perdue:\r\nWe write to urge you to lift the current hiring freeze and restore staff field-based positions at the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) and Farm Services Agency (FSA), so the agencies can operate at full capacity. These agencies are past the point of being able to do more with less and are now having to do less with less. The NRCS provides invaluable face-to-face technical assistance and administrative support to America\u2019s farmers, ranchers and foresters to implement conservation funding, or as you have termed it, \u201ccustomer service\u201d. The FSA staff are critical to delivering disaster programs, as well as providing the day-to-day technical assistance and administrative support for America's strong farm safety net through the administration of farm commodity programs.\r\nThe current hiring freeze has been in place since January 22, 2017. But even before that, many states had accumulated a number of vacant field-based staff positions. As of the last reported count, there were 1,446 vacancies at NRCS and equivalent reported numbers at FSA. With continued retirements, those numbers have likely increased. The Customer Service is not there, particularly when providing fellow community members the technical assistance, reimbursement, or assessment needed to keep New Mexico\u2019s farmers and ranchers producing the food and fuel that powers this nation. This is not by any fault of the employees, who are often working nights, weekends, and on some accounts twice their paid hours. The customers, New Mexico\u2019s farmers and ranchers, are not receiving the tools they need to implement these critical programs.\r\nYou have acknowledged the need for improved customer service in your recent public appearances, including when you spoke at the June 13, 2017 Senate Agriculture Appropriations Subcommittee hearing on the FY18 budget. During that hearing, you provided your commitment to look into this issue and to assure the front line would not be hit by cuts. You noted that many existing NRCS and FSA offices only have one or two people, which can leave the offices woefully understaffed if one is sick and the other is out in the field. But the situation is even more dire. For example, the city of Carlsbad, New Mexico has been without any NRCS staff for nearly a year, leaving one of the most protective farm regions in the state unserved. Without these positions filled, the NRCS is unable to provide this customer service, which is harming our farmers, ranchers, and rural communities. In addition, by leaving these positions unfilled you are neglecting your promise to provide the necessary \u201ccustomer service.\u201d\r\nWe are calling on you to lift your hiring freeze to ensure adequate NRCS and FSA staff are in place to support our farming and rural communities, which are vital in providing America\u2019s ability to produce food, fuel, and basic commodities. These staff positions provide critical support and service to rural American landowners, protect our valuable soil and water resources, and invest in rural economies. Your timeliness on addressing the NRCS\u2019 and FSA\u2019s field staff vacancies is crucial to ensuring our farming and rural economies receive necessary face-to-face technical support.\r\nThank you for your consideration.\r\nSincerely,", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"]], "columns": ["url", "title", "date", "year", "month", "party", "chamber", "state", "member_name", "bioguide_id", "domain", "scraper", "source", "date_source", "text", "has_text", "collected_at", "updated_at"], "primary_keys": ["url"], "primary_key_values": ["https://www.tomudall.senate.gov/news/press-releases/nm-democrats-urge-usda-to-end-hiring-freeze-restore-critical-customer-service-staff-at-nrcs-fsa"], "units": {}, "query_ms": 1.6693216748535633, "source": "dwillis/congress-press", "source_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press", "license": "MIT", "license_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press/blob/main/LICENSE"}