Rep. McClain Delaney, Member of House Agriculture Committee, Leads Call to Action on DOGE Access to Americans’ Personal and Financial Data Through USDA
Congresswoman McClain Delaney, Member of House Agriculture Committee, Leads Call to Action on DOGE Access to Americans’ Personal and Financial Data Through USDA
WASHINGTON, D.C. — On July 10th, 2025, National Public Radio reported that an employee of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) accessed sensitive personal and financial databases managed by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and its Farm Service Agency (FSA). Today, in response, Congresswoman April McClain Delaney (D-MD), a member of the House Agriculture Committee, led 12 colleagues in sending a letter to USDA and FSA seeking verification of these reports and immediate action to stop further DOGE interference.
When applying for federal loans, disaster aid, and other critical FSA programs, farmers and producers are required to disclose their financial and operational data to the USDA. Past reporting has raised serious concerns that DOGE personnel have accessed and misused sensitive data from other federal agencies, including information tied to labor unions, legal cases, and private business operations. With over 90 percent of producers relying on USDA assistance, securing these systems is critical to rural America’s economic health and long-term trust in our federal agencies.
Moreover, unauthorized use of this data exposes farmers to cybersecurity threats, including fraudulent loans, and could trigger funding cuts that weaken food systems and accelerate consolidation of farmland and processing facilities. Equally troubling are reports that DOGE may have authority to delay, block, or approve USDA loans and payments—an intrusion that threatens the independence of federal support programs. Farmers deserve efficiency and transparency, especially given how far in advance they must plan for planting, harvests, and equipment. Any disruption to USDA processes threatens the economic viability of farms and ranches across the country.
“We urge USDA to take immediate steps to restore confidence in the security and independence of its systems,” the lawmakers wrote. “This should include immediately revoking DOGE’s access to confidential producer data and reaffirming that only properly authorized USDA personnel are responsible for processing payments and making loan decisions. Therefore, we request that the FSA and USDA share information about how, and to what extent, the Trump administration's actions are impacting farmer and producer privacy across the country.”
The letter calls for an investigation into DOGE’s interference at the FSA and specifically requests information on the following:
To what specific networks at FSA or USDA have any individuals associated with DOGE gained access, and what is the nature of the information contained within those networks?
What is the stated justification for granting these individuals such access, and what legal authority permits this access?
What information related to people pursuing FSA services have individuals associated with DOGE accessed?
Have any individuals associated with DOGE approved or blocked the issuance of USDA payments or loans?
What datasets, databases, or systems of records administered by FSA or USDA have any individual associated with DOGE altered in any way?
What system controls are in place at FSA or USDA to prevent unauthorized deletion or transfer of data by any individual, including but not limited to individuals associated with DOGE?
The full text of the letter can be found here.
The Members of the U.S. House of Representatives who joined Congresswoman McClain Delaney as signatories of the letter are: Angie Craig (D-MN), Jared Huffman (D-CA), Jim Costa (D-CA), Adam Smith (D-WA), Eugene Vindman (D-VA), Sarah Elfreth (D-MD), Sarah Jacobs (D-CA), Becca Balint (D-VT), Jill Tokuda (D-HI) , John Larson (D-CT), Shri Thanedar (D-MI), and Josh Gottheimer (D-NJ)