The Deputy Administrator for Field Operations (DAFO) is responsible for the supervision and oversight of Farm Service Agency State and County Offices, and is the primary liaison between field and headquarters offices on agency-wide issues. The DAFO staff plays a critical role in the efficient, effective and consistent delivery of Agency programs, administrative operations, and the utilization of Agency resources in FSA State and County Offices.
DAFO duties cover a wide and varied range of activities essential to the mission of FSA and the effective operation of its offices. Some major areas of DAFO responsibility are:
- Supervision of State Executive Directors, and State Committee members
- State and County personnel issues - general and individual cases at all levels
- State and County budgets and staffing ceilings
- County Committee elections
- State and county outreach efforts
- EEO and Civil Rights investigation and resolution issues
- Reports of fraud and related investigations
- Inter-Agency and Departmental issues
- Activity reports/talking points for Secretarial and Administrator meetings and trips
- County Office consolidations
- State Office staff distribution review
A primary function of the DAFO staff is facilitation and liaison between the FSA National Office and State and County Offices. Examples of this responsibility are:
- Information flow between the National Office and State and County offices
- Implementation of investigative and management studies' findings
- Farm Program Issues
- Farm Loan issues
- Personnel and other administrative issues
- FSA Employee Associations concerns, resolutions, and consultative matters
- Coordination of National Office requests for State and County office assistance
- Ensure that responses to State Office questions are provided in a timely manner
- Automation and ITSD issues
- Assure State and County offices develop Homeland Security plans
- Assist with responses to Congressional inquiries
- Assist producers when they have concerns about State or County offices
- Assist National Office divisions with obtaining responses from State offices
- Coordinate detailing employees to National Office or states in need of assistance