Rep. Mannion Questions Ag Secretary on USDA Office Closures and Dairy Labor Needs

USDA Office Reorganization

• 📌 Representative John Mannion expressed deep concern regarding USDA's plan to close dozens of FSA and NRCS offices nationwide.
• ⚠️ Mannion specifically mentioned a proposed lease termination for the Syracuse, New York field office, which serves his district.
• 💬 Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins stated she was not aware of any offices closing but offered to investigate the specifics of the Syracuse office.
• 🤝 Rollins indicated that GSA manages leases and that the USDA is undergoing a reorganization, sometimes consolidating multiple leases within single buildings.

Dairy Industry Concerns

• 🐄 New York is the fifth largest dairy state, with significant dairy operations in Mannion's district and neighboring areas.
• 🗣️ Mannion highlighted the critical need for year-round dairy farmer visas and reforms to the H2A labor program.
• 🤝 He emphasized that the dairy industry is particularly affected by labor shortages and that working with the Secretary of Labor and the administration is a top priority.
• 💡 The conversation touched upon the potential impact of new dairy facilities, such as the proposed Chobani plant, on the region's dairy community.