{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "rows": [["https://www.hawley.senate.gov/hawley-urges-secretary-rollins-to-keep-farm-service-agency-offices-open-in-missouri/", "Hawley Urges Secretary Rollins to Keep Farm Service Agency Offices Open in Missouri", "2026-08-04", "2026", "2026-08", "Republican", "Senate", "MO", "Josh Hawley", "H001089", "www.hawley.senate.gov", "hawley", "https://www.hawley.senate.gov/press-releases/page/", "scraper", "WASHINGTON \u2014 Today, U.S. Senator Josh Hawley (R-Mo.) called on United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Secretary Brooke Rollins to address Farm Service Agency (FSA) office closures and reduction of services in Missouri. His letter comes after the Missouri FSA State Committee announced a reduction of services in Ralls County starting in October of this year, a crucial time for farmers receiving conservation and disaster program assistance.\n\nSenator Hawley thanked Secretary Rollins for her efforts safeguarding Missouri agriculture, writing, \u201cI appreciate your efforts to assist farmers as they continue to face high input costs and yearly financial losses. As you know, our nation\u2019s producers rely on timely services from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) field offices as they work to navigate these challenges.\u201d\n\nHe continued, \u201cI write to request your review of pending closures and the reduction of services at Missouri Farm Service Agency (FSA) offices. In particular, I am concerned about the pending reduction of services at the Ralls County FSA office on October 1, 2026. October is an incredibly important time of the year at FSA offices as several conservation and disaster program payments are distributed.\u201d\n\nThe Senator concluded, \u201cI urge you to use all appropriate resources and authorities at your disposal to preserve the continued operation of FSA offices in my state.\u201d\n\nRead the full letter here or below.\n\nAugust 4, 2026\n\nThe Honorable Brooke L. Rollins\n\nSecretary of Agriculture\n\nUnited States Department of Agriculture\n\n1400 Independence Ave. S.W.\n\nWashington, D.C. 20250\n\nDear Secretary Rollins,\n\nI appreciate your efforts to assist farmers as they continue to face high input costs and yearly financial losses. As you know, our nation\u2019s producers rely on timely services from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) field offices as they work to navigate these challenges.\n\nFor this reason, I write to request your review of pending closures and the reduction of services at Missouri Farm Service Agency (FSA) offices. In particular, I am concerned about the pending reduction of services at the Ralls County FSA office on October 1, 2026. October is an incredibly important time of the year at FSA offices as several conservation and disaster program payments are distributed.\n\nTo assist my review of these matters, I respectfully request the following information by August 14, 2026:\n\nHow many Missouri FSA offices has USDA proposed to close by October 1, 2027? Please provide the names of each county office.\n\nHow many Missouri FSA has USDA proposed to reduce services at or alter to \u201cappointment only\u201d availability by October 1, 2027? Please provide the names of each county office.\n\nWhat staffing plans has the USDA considered to add quality FSA employees?\n\nIf additional staff is obtained prior to October, will the USDA reverse course on current plans to close or reduce services at Missouri FSA offices?\n\nI urge you to use all appropriate resources and authorities at your disposal to preserve the continued operation of FSA offices in my state. Thank you for your attention to this matter.\n\nSincerely,", 1, "2026-08-05T07:37:37Z", "2026-08-05T07:38:44Z"]], "columns": ["url", "title", "date", "year", "month", "party", "chamber", "state", "member_name", "bioguide_id", "domain", "scraper", "source", "date_source", "text", "has_text", "collected_at", "updated_at"], "primary_keys": ["url"], "primary_key_values": ["https://www.hawley.senate.gov/hawley-urges-secretary-rollins-to-keep-farm-service-agency-offices-open-in-missouri/"], "units": {}, "query_ms": 2.161671407520771, "source": "dwillis/congress-press", "source_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press", "license": "MIT", "license_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press/blob/main/LICENSE"}