Fordyce Denies FSA Hiring Freeze; Prevent Plant Decision 'Very Soon'

TL;DR: At a House Agriculture Committee hearing on June 24, 2026, USDA Undersecretary Richard Fordyce said the Farm Service Agency is not under a hiring freeze, even as Democrats including Ranking Member Angie Craig pressed him on staffing cuts at FSA and NRCS. Fordyce also said a decision on reinstating buy-up crop insurance for prevent planting is coming "very soon."

Key takeaway

USDA's Fordyce denied an FSA hiring freeze and said a decision on buy-up prevent plant crop insurance coverage is coming "very soon."

What happened

USDA Undersecretary Richard Fordyce testified before the House Agriculture Committee on June 24, 2026. He told members that USDA is not operating under a hiring freeze at the Farm Service Agency (FSA), the agency that delivers farm loans, commodity payments, and disaster aid.

Democratic members pushed back. Ranking Member Angie Craig and others pressed Fordyce on staffing reductions at FSA and the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), the agency that runs voluntary conservation programs. The exchange reflected ongoing concern over whether USDA field offices can keep up with farmer demand. For context on how these programs are funded, see our funding breakdown.

Separately, Fordyce addressed crop insurance. He indicated that a decision on whether to reinstate buy-up coverage for prevent planting is coming "very soon." Prevent plant coverage pays producers when weather prevents them from planting an insured crop. A rule eliminating the buy-up option had drawn bipartisan pushback.

On the same day, House Agriculture Chairman Glenn Thompson issued a statement backing USDA's FY 2025 SNAP error rate data and structural reforms in the Working Families Tax Cuts Act. SNAP is the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program. The statement was not part of the hearing testimony.

What it means

For farmers, the two issues raised at the hearing carry direct, practical stakes for the upcoming crop year. Staffing levels and the prevent plant decision both affect how quickly producers get service and what risk protection they can buy.

• FSA and NRCS staffing: Fewer staff at local offices can mean slower loan processing, payment delays, and longer waits for conservation contract signups. Fordyce's denial of a hiring freeze does not by itself resolve Democrats' concerns about net reductions.
• Prevent plant buy-up coverage: If USDA reinstates the buy-up option, producers who cannot plant due to weather could again purchase higher coverage levels. Eliminating it had reduced the protection available in flood-prone and wet-spring regions. This is the kind of administrative shift that sits alongside the legislative changes tracked in what's new vs. 2018.
• SNAP error rates: Thompson's statement ties USDA's FY 2025 error rate data to reforms enacted in the Working Families Tax Cuts Act, signaling continued Republican focus on program integrity.

These developments are administrative actions by USDA running parallel to the broader Farm Bill 2.0 process. They show how the executive branch shapes farm policy even while H.R. 7567 moves through Congress. Readers tracking the legislation can follow the full bill in our full bill summary.

What's next

As of June 25, 2026, the most immediate item to watch is USDA's prevent plant decision. Fordyce said it is coming "very soon," but no specific date was given.

On staffing, Democrats are likely to continue pressing USDA for detailed FSA and NRCS headcount data in future hearings and correspondence. Whether Fordyce's no-freeze statement satisfies those questions remains to be seen.

The SNAP debate is expected to continue as part of the broader reauthorization. For ongoing legislative developments, see our timeline and status page.

Frequently asked questions

Is FSA under a hiring freeze in 2026?

USDA Undersecretary Richard Fordyce told the House Agriculture Committee on June 24, 2026 that the Farm Service Agency is not under a hiring freeze. Democratic members, including Ranking Member Angie Craig, pressed him on staffing reductions at FSA and the Natural Resources Conservation Service, but Fordyce maintained there is no freeze in place.

What did Fordyce say about prevent plant crop insurance?

Fordyce indicated that USDA's decision on whether to reinstate buy-up crop insurance coverage for prevent planting is coming "very soon." A prior rule eliminating the buy-up option had drawn bipartisan pushback. He did not give a specific date at the June 24, 2026 hearing.

What is prevent plant coverage?

Prevent plant, or prevented planting, coverage is a feature of federal crop insurance that pays producers when weather, such as flooding or persistent wet conditions, prevents them from planting an insured crop by the deadline. Buy-up coverage lets producers purchase higher protection levels above the base amount, which is the option under USDA review.

Who is Richard Fordyce?

Richard Fordyce is a USDA Undersecretary who testified before the House Agriculture Committee on June 24, 2026. At the hearing he addressed Farm Service Agency staffing questions and the pending decision on prevent plant crop insurance coverage.

What did Chairman Thompson say about SNAP error rates?

House Agriculture Chairman Glenn Thompson issued a statement on June 24, 2026 backing USDA's FY 2025 SNAP error rate data. He argued the data supports structural reforms in the Working Families Tax Cuts Act. SNAP is the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program. The statement was separate from the committee hearing testimony.

Does this hearing change the Farm Bill 2.0 legislation?

No. The June 24, 2026 hearing and USDA's prevent plant decision are administrative actions by the executive branch, not changes to H.R. 7567. They run parallel to the Farm Bill 2.0 reauthorization process and reflect how USDA implements existing farm and crop insurance programs while Congress works on the bill.

Sources

• Agri-Pulse , Fordyce says no hiring freeze at FSA as Democrats decry cuts, dated 2026-06-24.
• House Agriculture Committee , Thompson statement on SNAP error rates and Working Families Tax Cuts reforms, dated 2026-06-24.