Baudette, Minnesota (trfnews.i234.me) — A major federal resource for farmers in Lake of the Woods County and Koochiching County is set to disappear later this year.
According to reporting by Chris Harper of the TRF News website, the Farm Service Agency (FSA) office located in the Federal Building in Baudette will officially close its doors after August 2025.
This move is part of a broader government-wide initiative to reduce costs and consolidate underutilized facilities, as listed on the Department of Government Efficiency (DoGE) website: dod.gov.
The closure will require local farmers and producers to travel to the main FSA office in Roseau to access essential services such as:
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Farm loans
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Disaster relief programs
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Conservation assistance
The Baudette location was only part-time staffed, with employees rotating in from Roseau.
A statement attributed to a USDA spokesperson, shared via the agency’s press relations team, reads:
“Secretary Rollins fully supports President Trump’s directive to eliminate wasteful spending and ensure taxpayer dollars are used effectively. USDA is optimizing building capacity and consolidating underutilized offices to reduce inefficiencies, while continuing to prioritize frontline services for farmers, ranchers, and rural communities.”
According to DoGE, canceling the lease for the Baudette FSA office will save the government $22,500 annually.
This is just one of 14 federal agencies in Minnesota slated for office lease cancellation this year. Other nearby closures include:
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National Park Service office in Crane Lake and International Falls
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Indian Health Service office in Bemidji
Farmers and rural communities now face greater travel distances and limited in-person support — a development that’s raising concern in northern Minnesota’s agriculture sector.
I’m Chris Harper, and I’m reporting for TRF News.