Sen. Hawley asks USDA to protect Missouri farm offices serving state’s ‘top industry’ 

Missouri’s top industry – agriculture – may face a setback this fall as several local farm offices are scheduled to close or reduce services by October.

The Farm Service Agency, under the U.S. Department of Agriculture, operates offices across the country where farmers can apply for loans, crop insurance and disaster relief, among other programs. But many FSA offices in Missouri are facing the threat of closure or significant service reductions, and Sen. Josh Hawley, R-Missouri, is fighting back.

The FSA office in Ralls County, Missouri, will see a “reduction of services” on or before Oct. 1, 2026, Hawley noted in a letter to U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins.

“October is an incredibly important time of the year at FSA offices as several conservation and disaster program payments are distributed,” he wrote.

The senator asked Rollins to do all she could to “preserve the continued operation of FSA offices in my state.” He also requested answers by Aug. 14 to several questions, including which offices are scheduled to close by Oct. 1, what services would be reduced and what staffing plans are in place to sustain FSA locations.

“We need those offices to be open,” Hawley told Heartlander News Wednesday. “The physical brick and mortar offices closed down is very difficult for farmers, and it’s happening across all of our rural areas in the state.”

Missouri ranked 12th among the states in the value of agricultural production, generating more than $14.7 billion in gross receipts in 2024, according to USDA data. Iowa generated more than $40 billion, while California led the nation with more than $66 billion in gross receipts.

“Farming is a tough business. It’s also Missouri’s number one industry. Agriculture is number one in our state,” Hawley said, referencing the sector’s ranking for total economic impact. “We have got to make sure that it remains robust and healthy, and that we maintain a vital ag sector.”

Rollins has not publicly responded to Hawley’s letter or issued any public statements regarding the FSA office closures.

(Image credit: Screenshot/X/usdaFSA)