U.S. Ag Secretary Hears Concerns About Federal Staff Cuts During North Dakota Visit

By Jeff Beach

FARGO, N.D. – Matt Perdue, government relations director for the North Dakota Farmers Union, on Tuesday told U.S. Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins that staff cuts to the U.S. Department of Agriculture have farmers worried they won’t get the help they need in securing federal loans. 

“Earlier this year, we had a farm loans webinar. That same webinar last year had 17 attendees. This year, it had 107 and I think that is an indication of the financial stress and uncertainty out there,” Perdue said. “I think it also is an indication of how important FSA [Farm Service Agency] farm loans are for producers when times get tough.” 

Rollins, who held a roundtable discussion with farm groups in Fargo on Tuesday, said she understands the concerns as USDA shrinks its workforce but she tried to offer some reassurances. 

She said USDA workers were told last week, “If you are FSA or frontline or with the farmers, you are not eligible to take early retirement.” 

Rollins, invited by Sen. John Hoeven, R-N.D., listened to the discussion from ag groups, state officials and North Dakota State University representatives at a gathering on the NDSU campus. She said it was her first visit to a land grant university.

Rollins announced during the event that USDA was releasing $340 million in disaster assistance for farmers and rural communities impacted by natural disasters. 

The aid includes $5 million for North Dakota rural electric co-ops affected by wildfires during drought conditions last fall. 

President Joe Biden had approved a major disaster declaration for North Dakota in December. 

Rollins also repeated an announcement from last week of a new sugar tariff. She said that through Sept. 30, products with more than 65% sugar content will face an additional tariff of 33%. 

“President Trump loves to deploy tariffs,” Rollins said. 

Rollins planned to visit a processing plant for sugar beets, a key specialty crop in the Red River Valley. 

Tariffs, trade, and how specialty crops might be treated in farm bill were among the topics covered. Specialty crops such as potatoes, dry beans, and sunflowers are a big part of agriculture in North Dakota. 

Congress has not been able to reach an agreement on a new farm bill, last year extending the previous version. 

Gary Shields, executive director of the Northland Potato Growers Association, relayed a message from the National Potato Council about the possibility of specialty crops being left out of the next stopgap farm legislation.

“The big message is that specialty crop funding needs to be included,” Shields said. 

On trade, North Dakota Agriculture Secretary Doug Goehring said the last four years have been disappointing for ag trade and the United States should “reengage with the world.”

Rollins said she could not believe how “stunningly bad” the U.S. was treated on the world stage. 

Participants also emphasized the importance of decreasing regulation on farmers. 

Ryan Ellis, a farmer and president of the North Dakota Grain Growers, described the Environmental Protection Agency’s enforcement of the Endangered Species Act to be “terrifying.” 

Rollins was scheduled to get a closeup look at ag research at Grand Farm, a public-private collaboration west of Fargo near Casselton. 

North Dakota Monitor is part of States Newsroom, the nation’s largest state-focused nonprofit news organization.