Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack revealed a plan for streamlining operations and cutting costs at USDA during an address to the American Farm Bureau Federation annual meeting on Monday.

“The USDA, like families and businesses across the country, cannot continue to operate like we did 50 years ago,” said Vilsack. “We must innovate, modernize, and be better stewards of the taxpayers’ dollars. We must build on the record accomplishments of farm communities in 2011 with a stronger, more effective USDA in 2012 and beyond.”

Part of the plan includes closing 259 domestic offices, facilities and labs across the country, as well as seven foreign offices and consolidating over 130 county Farm Service Agency offices in 32 states. “Of the 131 offices on the list, 35 currently have no employees,” Vilsack said. “Let that sink in for a second.”

A map and list of impacted offices can be found here.

The Secretary outlined other budget cutting measures for USDA, such as consolidating more than 700 cell phone plans into about ten.

Listen to or download Vilsack’s entire comments to AFBF annual meeting here: Ag Secretary Tom Vilsack at AFBF annual meeting

Listen to or download Vilsack’s press conference at AFBF here: Vilsack Press Conference

AFBF 93rd Annual Meeting Photos