USDA Under Fire for Plans to Close Field Offices

Some members of Missouri’s congressional delegation want to know how and why the federal Agriculture Department wants to close some field offices in this state. Congressman Ike Skelton has asked the House Agriculture Committee to look into a plan by the U.S. Department of Agriculture to close about a third of the Farm Service Agency offices nationwide – about 30 here in this state. Missouri’s representative on the Ag Committee, Northwest Missouri Congressman Sam Graves agrees it’s something that needs to be talked about. Graves believes the ag committee could hold a hearing on this in the next few weeks and he’ll be ready to ask some tough questions to USDA officials.