Farmers protest outside of USDA Service Center

MALAD, Idaho (KIFI) - Farmers in an Oneida County community are expressing their concerns over the closing of the USDA Service Center in Malad. 

Dozens of farmers and ranchers showed up to the facility Thursday morning to object to the firing of employees Lou-Ann Thomas and Kim Jenkins. 

A USDA spokesperson would only tell us action was taken against the employees.

Still, we found the facility has closed operations.

Protesting farmers say that has left them unable to get the federal assistance they need.    

Jared Simpson says due to the record drought in the area, this could not have happened at a worse time.

"As you can see right now, there is no availability, no help that is happening in there, no work that is going on," Simpson said. "We need that office to be open right now. We really do depend on this office and this community for some assistance in a circumstance like this."

The facility will continue to stay closed until further notice. 

Simpson says their main objective is to get Lou-Ann and Kim back in the building.