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Ag coalition pressing the U.S. Senate on USDA staffing crisis ahead of 2027 budget talks

A coalition of 123 state and national ag groups is asking the U.S. Senate to address USDA staffing shortages in the 2027 funding bill.

Carson Fort with the American Soybean Association says more than 20,000 employees left the department in the first six months of 2025.

“That included roughly a quarter of NRCS staff and a quarter of FSA staff,” he says. Ninety-five to ninety-eight percent of those were based outside of DC. We have to have folks there so that our growers’ efforts are being supported.”

He tells Brownfield staff reductions have created program barriers for producers across the country.

“Without local NRCS staff, growers are having those technical assistance plans delayed, which can ultimately drastically impact their growing decisions,” he says.

Fort says the organization is urging Congress to adopt recently passed language in the U.S. House that would prevent the permanent relocation of county-based employees if it would leave a local office with less than two staff.

AUDIO: Carson Fort, ASA