Why It Matters

The House Agriculture Committee is convening a farm safety net hearing on Wednesday, June 24 to examine how the Trump administration's steep budget cuts are affecting farmers' access to critical programs. With the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) losing nearly 2,800 employees over the past year and the Farm Service Agency at its thinnest local presence in a decade, farmers across the country report being locked out of conservation programs and disaster relief. The hearing comes as Congress races to pass a new farm bill before the current extension expires September 30, and as farmers face a July 31 deadline to decide on base acre increases that could reshape their safety net coverage.

Staffing Cuts Cascade Through Farm Programs

The workforce hemorrhaging at NRCS is staggering. The agency shed 23 percent of its staff between January 2025 and January 2026, dropping from 11,861 to 9,078 employees. That loss of nearly 2,800 positions has real consequences. Farmers report being denied access to conservation programs because funding ran dry, with some counties unable to fund more than a single farmer for the entire year.

The Farm Service Agency (FSA) faces similar pressure. Arizona lost 31 percent of its FSA county staff, while Hawaii shed 25 percent and Vermont 22 percent. The FSA now operates at its thinnest local presence in a decade, leaving farmers struggling to navigate disaster relief applications and program enrollment.

The cuts stem from the Trump administration's fiscal year 2026 budget proposal, which included $4.6 billion in USDA discretionary cuts, including more than $750 million slashed from NRCS conservation technical assistance.

Industry Alarm and Congressional Response

The staffing crisis prompted roughly 160 agricultural organizations to send a letter to a Senate subcommittee in mid-June urging preservation of staffing levels at both agencies. The National Corn Growers Association, National Farmers Union, and American Soybean Association were among the signatories.

The farm safety net hearing represents the House Agriculture Committee's attempt to assess the damage. Chair G.T. Thompson Jr. (R-PA) and Ranking Member Angie Craig (D-MN) will examine how NRCS and FSA, the primary agencies implementing farm safety net, disaster, and conservation programs, are managing under the new constraints.

Competing Deadlines

The hearing occurs amid overlapping policy deadlines. Farmers have until July 31 to consider base acre increases for the Agriculture Risk Coverage and Price Loss Coverage programs, following the first such update in 24 years announced in May. The Supplemental Disaster Relief Program application deadline extends to August 12, with the payment factor recently increased from 35 percent to 70 percent. Meanwhile, Congress must pass a new farm bill before the current 2018 Farm Bill extension expires September 30.

The hearing is scheduled for June 24 at 10:00 AM ET in 1300 Longworth House Office Building.

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