Farmers struggle as Agriculture Department loses thousands of staff

newsAug 24, 202630437

The New York Times reports that the Agriculture Department lost thousands of employees, leaving farmers and rural residents struggling to obtain basic services such as loans, grants, technical assistance and infrastructure support. The article says more than 20,000 workers out of more than 110,000 left the department through the first half of 2025, and the Farm Service Agency has no staff left in dozens of counties, forcing farmers to travel long distances or abandon requests. The staffing shortfall compounded delays that began during a government shutdown that lasted until mid-November, with at least one low-interest loan in Aztec, New Mexico, held up for months. Parts of the department responsible for economic and infrastructure programs in rural communities have taken some of the steepest cuts, producing long waits for aid to residents and charities. Advocates and officials cited in coverage say the attrition has undercut the agency’s ability to deliver legally mandated services and called on Congress to restore funding and staffing to address the backlogs.

Do Not Obey. We are Democracy.

@zangerliberia.bsky.social

So much winning! Gifted article www.nytimes.com/2026/08/24/u... So farmers can't get loans or services. It's costing them their livelihoods, and us our budgets. Support your local food banks. Buy local food from stands, CSAs, or farmers markets. #dv1 #USDemocracy #Voices4Victory

31545d ago

Mary David Teater16

Fuck those farmers they need to stop voting for fucking Republicans! A good example is Iowa is voting for Republicans. The very same Republicans that cut their profits by 40%. They’re just fucking stupid. I don’t care what happens to them anymore. Another farmer can buy their farm.

FoodArt...N.S. 🇨🇦7

Buy Canadian 🇨🇦 that'll really piss him off..

dabxdee.bsky.social6

The real welfare queens and terrorists are not coming from other countries, they're right on Capitol Hill, holding office, wearing robes and badges, and running multi billion dollar corporations. All on your dime. Your oppression is their profession. pathological psychopaths.

Jim4

You're right, but not just the farmers, people booted off medicare, snap recipients, illegal immigrants, they all said "I didn't think it would effect me when he said he was going to do these things" On top of all that, is the way he's fleecing America with all the corruption. Whining won't help

American Criminal Court of Justice4

Farmers did this to themselves..they better wake up and vote Republicans out of officel

Dona Flaca3

And they’ll vote for him and others like him (or worse) because them “illegals”. 😡😏🙄

Quoting this

Lu 💙7

Farmers why did you vote for your destruction!?

Pastor of Muppets6

I have zero sympathy for these people.

Proud Woke Democrat3

It’s only a matter of time before the stable genius in the Oval Office starts ordering Soylent Green!

Clara Jeffery

@clarajeffery.bsky.social

Gift link for your friends in farm country 🎁 www.nytimes.com/2026/08/24/u...

4945d ago

Quoting this

Steve Olson2

Government is hard at the best of times. When it's run by people who have no idea what it does, and whose vision doesn't extend beyond their tax bill... it's impossible.

hilzoy

@hilzoy.bsky.social

Gift link. It turns out government workers have their uses after all. www.nytimes.com/2026/08/24/u...

1745d ago

Bill Lindeke

@blindeke.bsky.social

“more than 20,000 workers out of more than 110,000 left the Agriculture Department through the first half of 2025.” www.nytimes.com/2026/08/24/u...

1445d ago

Greg Todd

@1gregtodd.bsky.social

Even dog food is contaminated now. Aren’t we glad Trump, Kennedy and Musk cut funding and staffing for the FDA, USDA, HHS and CDC greatly reducing their ability to inspect food and monitor food-borne illnesses?

1146d ago

Clayton Tucker

@claytontuckertx.com

Farmers deserve to know who controls their information, how it's being used, and who stands to profit from it. Read my latest on who should own the future of American farming >> claytontuckertx.substack.com/p/who-owns-t... #Texas #FamilyFarms #Agriculture #PeopleOverProfit

944d ago

spence16.bsky.social

@spence16.bsky.social

Farmers Struggle to Get Basic Services From Depleted Agriculture Dept. www.nytimes.com/2026/08/24/u...

545d ago

Jennifer Nuzzo, DrPH, SM

@jennifernuzzo.bsky.social

“farmers and rural residents… struggling to obtain the basic services the Agriculture Department is meant to offer…Sharp attrition under the Trump administration, largely through voluntary resignations and dismissals by the Department of Government Efficiency” www.nytimes.com/2026/08/24/u...

445d ago

Navin Pokala 🇺🇸🇺🇦🇨🇦🇬🇱

@navinpokala.bsky.social

The words "election", "vote", "voter", "elect" do not appear in this piece. Nor this fact: America’s most farming-dependent counties overwhelmingly backed Trump in 2024 by 78%. Farmers of all people should understand the concept of reaping what one sows. www.nytimes.com/2026/08/24/u...

445d ago

br00t4c

@br00t4c.bsky.social

Red state farmers left reeling after Trump 'demolished' key agency www.alternet.org/trump-farmer...

545d ago

Copper Sturgeon 🇺🇸🇵🇹🇵🇭 🏴‍☠️🎨💾🗿🫚🦜

@tantzu.bsky.social

what I don’t get, US farms produce more than enough for its market, so a system of subsidy had to be created to ensure farmers earn profits. Government buys the surplus and give them away. Through USDA/USAID. Something changed, why is this no longer acceptable? correct that instead.

145d ago

National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition (NSAC)

@nsac-sustainableag.bsky.social

Great piece by Linda Qiu @nytimes on @USDA's staffing crisis, notably: "Farm Service Agency...has no staff left in dozens of counties across the country, forcing farmers to travel long distances for assistance or to simply give up." Catch the full story: www.nytimes.com/2026/08/24/u...

45d ago

CKC Pottery 🇺🇸🇺🇦🪲🐞🌱🍁🍄‍🟫🌳

@ckcpottery.bsky.social

Breaking govt isn’t good for the people. “the low-interest loan they secured from the Agriculture Department to make the purchase in Aztec, N.M., was on hold for months, first during the government shutdown that lasted until mid-November and then as federal workers left the agency in droves”1/2

245d ago

Storm ⛈️

@stormofearth.bsky.social

Between January 2025 and January 2026, The United States Department of Agriculture lost approximately 20,000 employees, according to staffing data published by the US Office of Personnel Management. Source: sustainableagriculture.net/blog/usda-st...

Alt text: Choropleth map of the United States titled "Percent USDA Staff Loss Jan 2025-Jan 2026," shaded from pale yellow (−13%) to dark green (−41%) staff loss by state. States with the darkest shading (steepest staff losses) include Alaska, Maine, New York, Kansas, Colorado, Nevada, and Virginia. States with the lightest shading (smallest staff losses) include California, Wyoming, and Tennessee. Most other states fall in mid-range green tones. Source line reads: "Map: NSAC & Prospect Partners • Source: OPM, FOIA • Get the data • Created with Datawrapper."

145d ago

lizbauch.bsky.social

@lizbauch.bsky.social

Across the country, farmers and rural residents describe struggling to obtain the basic services the Agriculture Department is meant to offer, including loans and grants, technical assistance and financing for housing and utilities. www.nytimes.com/2026/08/24/u...

45d ago

1 source

nytimes.comFarmers Struggle to Get Basic Services From Depleted Agriculture Dept. (Gift Article)

National Guard members speak out about Washington D.C. deploymentnews Farmers struggle as Agriculture Department loses thousands of staffnews

Farmers struggle as Agriculture Department loses thousands of staff

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