DOGE Cuts USDA Office Closure List in Half

Progressive Farmer’s Chris Clayton reported that “USDA agencies will close fewer than half the number of offices originally listed by the Trump administration’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) as cost-saving measures, with at least 61 USDA offices removed from the DOGE website nearly three months after their original listing.”

“DTN reviewed the listings of nearly 500 federal agency offices on the DOGE website after U.S. Sen. Adam Schiff, D-Calif., announced (last) week that USDA had reversed plans to close nine offices across his state,” Clayton reported. “…In March, DOGE had listed at least 110 USDA offices across nine agencies for lease cancellations, amounting to an estimated $59.3 million in contract savings. Now, the DOGE website lists 49 USDA offices slated for closure with listed total savings of just under $19.5 million. Still, the revised DOGE list also appears to be inaccurate or out-of-date.”

“Across the entire federal government, DOGE has culled back its list of canceled leases from 793 in mid-March down to 485 possible office closures now,” Clayton reported.

Most County Offices Now Will Remain Open

Clayton reported that “DOGE had listed 22 Farm Service Agency (FSA) county offices nationally that would close. That number is now down to six offices — four in Puerto Rico, an office in Greenville, North Carolina, which remains open, and another office in Madera, California. The Madera office was also among the nine offices Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins informed Schiff would remain open.”

“In her letter to Schiff, Rollins explained the General Services Administration (GSA) is responsible for many federal office leases, and USDA was aware of termination notices sent by GSA to field offices,” Clayton reported. “Rollins said her team had confirmed GSA had rescinded offices terminations for some of the California offices and would work to continue to rescind others. That also includes the Forest Service office in Mount Shasta, California, which also remains on the DOGE website as a terminated lease.”

In addition, Clayton reported that “a USDA spokesperson said in an email USDA has no plans to close Farm Production and Conservation (FPAC) county offices. FPAC includes both the FSA as well as the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS).”

“‘Secretary Rollins has made it clear that she has no plans to close FPAC county offices as they are front line USDA offices that serve farmers across the country,” the spokesperson stated,'” according to Clayton’s reporting. “‘We understand GSA has undertaken a process to review and consolidate current leases across the country. We have identified certain offices, including the several offices in California, Arizona, and others across the country as critical offices and have asked GSA to rescind the office closure notifications.'”

What Offices are no Longer on the Closure List?

Successful Farming’s Mariah Squire reported that the updating of office closures “comes in the midst of Elon Musk’s reported departure from the Trump administration. …Has the status of your local office changed? Here’s a closer look at which offices have been removed from the Wall of Receipts.”

“Of eight state FSA offices originally on the DOGE list, seven are no longer listed for lease termination:

• Montgomery, Alabama
• Madera, California*
• Lexington-Fayette, Kentucky
• Annapolis, Maryland
• Fargo, North Dakota
• Hato Rey, Puerto Rico
• Nacogdoches, Texas

The one remaining state FSA office listed by DOGE is in Mayagüez, Puerto Rico.”

“Of 14 county FSA offices originally on the DOGE list, 11 are no longer listed for lease termination:

• Batesville, Arkansas
• Paragould, Arkansas
• Bakersfield, California
• Baudette, Minnesota
• Clovis, New Mexico
• Roswell, New Mexico
• Hendersonville, North Carolina
• Wilkesboro, North Carolina
• Watertown, South Dakota
• Gonzales, Texas
• Monticello, Utah

The three remaining county FSA offices from the original list are Puerto Rico offices.”