USDA’s Farm Production and Conservation Mission Area Announces Organizational Improvements to Strengthen Service to America’s Farmers and Ranchers

Washington, D.C., June 17, 2026 - The U.S. Department of Agriculture's (USDA) Farm Production and Conservation (FPAC) mission area today announced organizational improvements across the Farm Service Agency (FSA), Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), Risk Management Agency (RMA), and the FPAC Business Center (FBC) is designed to strengthen service delivery, improve operational efficiency, and better align resources with the needs of America's farmers, ranchers, and producers.

FPAC agencies already operate primarily in the field, with the vast majority of employees serving producers outside USDA's Washington, D.C., headquarters. The organizational improvements build upon that foundation by streamlining leadership structures, clarifying lines of authority, consolidating duplicative functions, and maximizing resources available for customer service and program delivery.

"America's farmers and ranchers deserve a USDA that is responsive, efficient, and focused on delivering results," said U.S. Deputy Secretary of Agriculture Stephen A. Vaden. "These organizational improvements strengthen USDA's ability to serve producers by reducing unnecessary bureaucracy, improving accountability, and ensuring resources are aligned where they can have the greatest impact. This effort reflects our commitment to good government and putting farmers first."

"As someone who has spent his life in agriculture production, I know firsthand that USDA works best when it is focused on serving the people on the ground," said Farm Production and Conservation Under Secretary Richard Fordyce. "These improvements ensure our agencies are organized around that mission. By strengthening leadership, reducing unnecessary bureaucracy, and aligning resources closer to producers, we are building a stronger FPAC that is better equipped to deliver conservation assistance, farm programs, crop insurance, and customer service for years to come."

The reorganization will:

• Strengthen leadership and accountability across FPAC agencies
• Align resources closer to producers and local communities
• Improve consistency and efficiency in program delivery
• Streamline operations and reduce unnecessary administrative layers
• Maximize the use of technology and automation to support frontline employees and customer service.

Within FSA, the organizational improvements strengthen leadership and oversight structures to support more efficient delivery of farm programs and loan services. The changes are designed to improve coordination, provide more consistent support to producers, and enhance operational effectiveness across the agency.

At NRCS, the reorganization sharpens the agency's focus on conservation implementation and working lands stewardship. New organizational structures will improve accountability, increase support for field operations, and ensure more resources are directed toward delivering conservation assistance to farmers and ranchers.

For RMA, the changes preserve mission-critical crop insurance functions while aligning staffing and resources to support the continued growth and effectiveness of the Federal Crop Insurance Program. RMA will continue leveraging its extensive field presence to maintain strong connections with agricultural communities across the country.

Within the Business Center, the primary objective of the realignment is to ensure mission area administrative, and operations functions are provided in an efficient and effective way by maximizing financial resources, personnel, and technology to provide better customer service.

These organizational improvements support the Trump Administration's commitment to building a more efficient, accountable, and responsive federal government. By aligning leadership and resources closer to the communities they serve, USDA is strengthening service delivery, reducing unnecessary bureaucracy, and ensuring responsible stewardship of taxpayer dollars - all while maintaining its unwavering focus on America's farmers, ranchers, and producers.

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