DOGE cracking down on leases for dozens of FSA, NRCS sites

The U.S. Department of Agriculture has begun listing planned lease terminations to impact 59 Farm Service Agency and Natural Resources Conservation Service offices as part of an effort to cut costs, according to the Department of Government Efficiency’s (DOGE) website.

The move is part of the Trump administration’s initiative to reduce agency spending, affecting numerous office spaces across the country. So far, 748 lease terminations totaling 9,587,384 square feet and approximately $660,000 in lease savings have been listed on DOGE’s website.

A spokesperson from General Service Administration sent an email to a media outlet in Cincinnati saying that Acting Administrator Stephen Ehikian’s vision for GSA includes “reducing our deferred maintenance liabilities, supporting the return-to-office of federal employees, and taking advantage of a stronger private/government partnership in managing the workforce of the future.” GSA is reviewing its use of buildings, the spokesperson said, “actively working with our tenant agencies to assess their space needs.”

The USDA’s lease terminations zero in on 36 NRCS office leases, 13 FSA county offices, and 11 Rural Housing Service offices will see their leases terminated. Some of the slated closures are state offices (Alaska and Kentucky), and some are county field offices.

The FSA state office listings on the DOGE website include locations in Montgomery, Alabama; Madera, California; Hato Rey and Mayagüez, Puerto Rico; Annapolis, Maryland; and Nacogdoches, Texas.

Additionally, upcoming lease terminations have been announced for FSA county offices in Batesville, Arkansas; Watertown, South Dakota; Hendersonville, North Carolina; Paragould, Arkansas; Monticello, Utah; Baudette, Minnesota; Wilkesboro, North Carolina; Clovis, New Mexico; Utuado, Puerto Rico; Roswell, New Mexico; Ponce, Puerto Rico; Lares, Puerto Rico; Gonzalez, Texas; and Bakersfield, California.

The DOGE website also lists NRCS office leases as terminated, affecting locations in Batesville, Arkansas; Yreka, California; Pearl, Mississippi; Greensboro, North Carolina; Amherst, Massachusetts; St. Johnsbury, Vermont; Oxnard, California; Fairbanks, Alaska; Wasilla, Arkansas; Puyallup, Washington; Dayton, Washington; Raton, New Mexico; Lincoln, Nebraska; Lawrence, Kansas; Conway, Arkansas; Dover, New Hampshire; Yuma, Arizona; Woodland, California; Griffin, Georgia; Goldsboro, North Carolina; Fargo, North Dakota; Gallup, New Mexico; Saipan Island, Northern Mariana Islands; San Sebastian, Puerto Rico; Greenwood, Mississippi; Portland, Oregon; Arecibo, Puerto Rico; Columbia, Mississippi; Missoula, Montana; Gallatin, Tennessee; Logan, Utah; Blythe, California; Syracuse, New York; and Renton, Washington.

According to the DOGE website, the USDA expects the FSA state and county office lease terminations to result in savings of over $9.7 million, while NRCS lease terminations are projected to save over $19.3 million. The Rural Housing Service lease terminations are estimated to save more than $8.6 million.

Meanwhile, USDA lands as number seven on the Agency Efficiency Leaderboard, which continues to track progress across federal agencies. 

History of USDA and FSA closures

The discussion surrounding Farm Service Agency office closures has persisted for nearly two decades, with past administrations also proposing various consolidation plans to increase efficiency and reduce costs. In 2005, the Bush administration suggested closing more than 700 FSA offices, though this plan was later scaled back. During the Obama administration, proposals were revised to close approximately 250 offices, and in 2012, the USDA outlined a plan to close 131 FSA offices as part of a broader effort to consolidate operations.

Budget constraints and government shutdowns have further complicated the status of FSA offices. In 2019, during a lapse in appropriations, FSA employees were recalled, but their ability to carry out essential activities was limited due to budget restrictions. Shutdowns have often led to temporary office closures, though the USDA has taken measures to reopen FSA locations for limited services.

A significant overhaul of USDA operations was announced under Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack as part of the “Blueprint for Stronger Service,” a department-wide initiative aimed at streamlining services and improving efficiency. The plan, a result of the administration’s “Campaign to Cut Waste,” included the closure of 259 USDA offices, facilities, and laboratories, both domestic and foreign, with an estimated annual savings of $140 million.