Yuma’s USDA office facing closure amid DOGE cuts
YUMA, AZ (AZFamily) — Yuma is known as the “Winter Lettuce Capital of the World” and may soon lose its local United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) office.
It’s one of several departments facing potential closure under Elon Musk and DOGE’s proposed cuts.
According to the Department of Government Efficiency’s website, ending the USDA’s office building lease in Yuma could save nearly $400,000. The website details the closure of hundreds of offices nationwide, including about a dozen in Arizona.
Former USDA director for rural Arizona Charlene Fernandez said she spent three years working out of the office, which has been serving the community for more than two decades.
“It’s very disappointing just thinking about who Yuma, Arizona is; we have to think about how critical we are. All the leafy greens we grow right here are critical to the rest of the country,” said Fernandez.
The office houses three USDA departments, including the Natural Resources Conservation Service, and Fernandez says it plays a vital role in helping farmers improve production.
“A lot of farmers come in for information, to find out about grants or low interest loans to do farming better here in Yuma,” she said.
Sen. Ruben Gallego sent a letter to the USDA urging them to reverse the decision to close the Yuma office.
He highlighted the millions of dollars in local USDA investments that have funded affordable housing and water infrastructure improvements in low-income communities, which Gallego said are crucial to supporting the region’s agriculture industry.
As the office closure remains uncertain, so do the jobs of its local workers, some of whom were recently rehired after federal mass layoffs that saw 6,000 USDA employees let go.
“I just know that you have people that work there that have been working for a long time. They’re qualified, experienced and want to be at work,” said Fernandez.
She encourages people, especially farmers who rely on the office’s services, to speak out and contact state leaders and the USDA.
“Send a letter to this administration, to the USDA secretary. Let them know how important Yuma is and how critical the work that we do here is,” she said.
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