(Washington, DC)  – Congressman Charles W. Boustany, Jr., M.D. (R-South Louisiana), issued the following statement after the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Farm Service Agency (FSA) announced the St. Mary’s Parish FSA will remain open:

“I would like to thank officials at the USDA for choosing to keep the St. Mary Parish FSA open for business. The importance of maintaining a local, USDA presence for farmers in South Louisiana cannot be understated. I would like to thank all parties involved with keeping the office open. No one person could do this alone. By working in conjunction with leaders at every level, we were able to save a valuable resource for our farmers in South Louisiana.” 

Louisiana State Senator Bret Allain, a sugarcane farmer by trade, opposed the measures from the outset and was always encouraged that the local congressional delegation in Washington was on board early to find a remedy for the situation. “We definitely had strength in numbers. In politics, having a lot of folks putting pressure where it is needed can make all the difference. St. Mary’s office clearly did not fit USDA’s own criteria for a closure. St. Mary’s FSA is a vital part of the agricultural fabric of our area. I want to personally thank our senators and congressmen for their tremendous and hard work on this issue. Each deserves credit for making this happen,” Sen. Allain added.

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