Report: Iowa lost 17% of USDA staff in 2025, impact felt at farmer-facing offices

By: Cami Koons

Outlets: Iowa Capital Dispatch

Published: July 1, 2026

Words: 1,186

Last Updated: 3 weeks ago

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U.S. Department of Agriculture staffing cuts in 2025 have left county-level service offices understaffed, according to an analysis of federal data from the National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition.

The report found that Iowa lost nearly 19% of its Natural Resources Conservation Service, or NRCS, staff and 8% of its Farm Service Agency staff between January 2025 and January 2026. Both agencies staff local USDA offices and help farmers with federal programs and loans.

Coalition …

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