Background

The Farm Service Agency (FSA) is an organization with a legacy of responding quickly to program legislation, being service-oriented, and focusing on producer needs. Shrinking Federal budgets, and downsizing, have eroded the ability of FSA employees to maintain the one-on-one relationship with producers that existed throughout the years. Producers, and other people with agricultural interests, have come to expect the personal touch that is often included with the delivery of FSA programs.

Several key priorities have been identified that are intended to transform FSA's present program development and implementation approach into an approach that will continue to meet the expectations of our producers and other customers. These priorities fall into four broad categories:

Specific action items have been identified for each initiative. The action items represent priorities for keeping pace with changes and meeting the needs of our customers.

Scope of PSD Priorities

The PSD priorities affect commodity programs for wheat, feed grains, oilseeds, rice and cotton (Upland and ELS). Affected PSD activities include, but are not limited to, loan making, LDP's, loan servicing and compliance with commodity loan program provisions. Supporting activities and other affected items include, handbooks, notices, regulations, decision memorandums, accounting, automation, training, and dissemination of commodity loan program information.