Proposed agency changes may weaken research support during a farm crisis.
American farmers are facing severe economic pressure due to record-high input costs, low crop prices, and limited access to markets. In early 2026, more than 300 farm groups warned Congress that US agriculture faces long-term risks if conditions do not improve.
Since then, challenges have increased. Rising global conflict has driven fertilizer prices higher during the spring planting season. Many farmers were unable to lock in prices in advance, adding to production costs. At the same time, a record-warm winter in western states has deepened drought conditions, affecting over 70% of major crop acres.
Against this backdrop, the US Department of Agriculture plans to restructure its research, education, and economics agencies. The stated goal is to improve coordination and bring services closer to farmers. However, farm advocacy groups argue the changes may have the opposite effect.
The proposal includes moving more staff from key agencies such as the National Institute of Food and Agriculture, the Economic Research Service, and the National Agricultural Statistics Service to Missouri. A similar move in 2019 led to heavy staff losses, when about three-quarters of affected employees left the USDA. This resulted in fewer economic reports and delayed funding for universities.
The plan also proposes closing the Beltsville Agricultural Research Center in Maryland, the nation’s largest agricultural research station. Beltsville supports vital research on soil health, weed control, crop disease detection, and virus prevention. It also hosts long-term research trials that cannot be easily moved.
While USDA cites aging facilities at Beltsville, critics note that years of low investment caused this decline. Farm groups warn that closing the center will weaken critical research capacity.
In 2025 alone, nearly a quarter of USDA research and economics staff left due to early retirement and resignations. Lawmakers have raised questions about whether the USDA has authority to move forward without Congressional approval.
With farmers already facing drought, labor shortages, high costs, and market uncertainty, many believe restructuring now will further distance the USDA from the people it is meant to support.