2 U.S. House members look to restore USDA staff cuts
Two members of Kansas’ congressional delegation introduced bipartisan legislation June 18 aimed at preventing closures of local U.S. Department of Agriculture offices and addressing staffing shortages that supporters say are affecting service delivery in rural communities.
U.S. Reps. Sharice Davids, D-KS, and Derek Schmidt, R-KS, announced the USDA Field Office Stability Act, which would prohibit the USDA from closing or relocating Natural Resources Conservation Service, Farm Service Agency and Rural Development county and field offices, with limited exceptions.
Under the proposal, offices could be closed if they are located within 20 miles of another USDA office, unless the nearby office is in another state. The bill also would allow relocations within the same county.
The legislation would require USDA to maintain minimum staffing levels at NRCS, FSA and Rural Development service centers to help ensure offices remain open and accessible during standard business hours.
“Farmers and rural communities shouldn’t have to worry about whether the USDA office they depend on will still be there or properly staffed when they need help,” Davids, a member of the House Agriculture Committee, said in a statement.
Davids said Kansas has lost more than 500 USDA employees since last year, making it more difficult for rural residents to access services.
Schmidt said farmers, ranchers and rural communities rely on local USDA offices for disaster assistance, conservation programs, farm loans and technical support.
“Whether it’s disaster assistance, conservation programs, farm loans, or technical support, Kansans deserve reliable, in-person access to USDA resources,” Schmidt said.
The bill has received support from Kansas Farmers Union.
“County-level USDA staffing shortages have impeded program implementation for multiple administrations,” said Donn Teske, president of Kansas Farmers Union. “Cuts to the Farm Service Agency, Natural Resources Conservation Service and other USDA agencies have been detrimental to rural America and to the agencies’ ability to fulfill their mission.”
According to the lawmakers, Kansas has lost more than 500 USDA employees, representing about 32% of the state’s USDA workforce. They said that is the largest percentage decline in the region.
Nationally, more than 24,000 USDA employees have left the department since January 2025, contributing to a nearly 27% workforce reduction between September 2024 and December 2025, according to figures cited by the lawmakers.
The legislation follows concerns raised over staffing reductions at USDA facilities, including the National Bio and Agro-Defense Facility in Manhattan, Kansas. During a House Agriculture Committee hearing last year, Davids questioned U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins about the workforce cuts. Rollins described the firings as an “imperfect process.”
Davids also cited in her news release concerns about the emergence of the New World screwworm, arguing that reductions in USDA staffing could affect the department’s ability to respond to agricultural emergencies.
