U.S. Farmers Face Reduced Conservation Support Following Federal Workforce Cuts
U.S. farmers are experiencing reduced access to environmental conservation practices due to significant staff cuts at the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), a federal agency under the U.S. Department of Agriculture. The NRCS lost nearly a quarter of its national staff in 2025 following President Trump’s federal workforce reductions. This has resulted in 144 counties nationwide being left without any NRCS staff, and some states, like Wisconsin, seeing over a 30% reduction in their workforce. Farmers are now reporting longer travel times to access assistance and encountering overworked staff, leading to delays and difficulties in implementing conservation projects. The USDA announced in June that the NRCS will undergo 'organizational improvements,' but details on these changes are not yet clear. 
