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BK:00024 PG:0832 <br />LEE COUNTY <br />Committed Today for a Better Tomorrow <br />RESOLUTION IN SUPPORT <br />OF <br />LEE COUNTY FARM SERVICE AGENCY OFFICE <br />WHEREAS, the United States Department of Agriculture has plans to close 259 offices, facilities and <br />laboratories across the nation, including some local Farm Service Agencies (FSA); and <br />WHEREAS, on February 1, 2012 a public hearing was held in Carthage, North Carolina, where many <br />supporters of the Moore County FSA office spoke on behalf of keeping the Moore County office open <br />and made suggestions to closing the Lee County FSA office; and <br />WHEREAS, agriculture generates $54 million dollars annually in Lee County; and <br />WHEREAS, Lee County currently has 379 farms which have reported cropland acres, with Moore <br />County having only 235 farms; and <br />WHEREAS, the 2009 Cropland Statistics Report on government payments received by farmers through <br />Farm Service Agency reported Lee County receiving $3,065,927 and Moore County receiving <br />$2,182,076; and <br />WHEREAS, Lee County is geographically smaller in size, 9.03% of total land area is dedicated to <br />farmland compared to 3.34% in Moore county; and <br />WHEREAS, the Lee County Farm Service Agency is located, along with the North Carolina <br />Cooperative Extension, Natural Resources Conservation Service, Lee County Soil and Water <br />Conservation District, and Rural Development offices, in the McSwain Extension Education and <br />Agriculture Center which is centrally located off US Highway 1 South; and <br />WHEREAS, the location provides easy access for the farming community to the FSA office, thus <br />contributing to a "one stop shop" for Lee County farmers as well as farmers in surrounding counties. <br />NOW, THEREFORE, We the Lee County Board of Commissioners do hereby show our support for the <br />Farm Service Agency in Lee County as they continue the administration of farm commodity programs in <br />Lee County. <br />Adopted this 19` day of March 2012. <br />a A. Shook, Chairman <br />County Board of Commissioners <br />