Missouri Farm Bureau voices concerns over USPS consolidation plan
COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)
The Missouri Farm Bureau is concerned about how a new plan to consolidate mail delivery will impact rural Americans.
The U.S. Postal Service has rolled out a new proposal to consolidate morning and afternoon drop-off and pickup into a single route for ZIP codes that are more than 50 miles away from the nearest regional processing and distribution center. USPS wrote in an August news release that the measure will reduce costs by $3 billion annually.
In a Nov. 13 email to the postmaster general, the Missouri Farm Bureau expressed concerns over the plan.
“Rural Americans rely on prompt and reliable postal service for a whole host of reasons, including receiving letters from loved ones, critical medication, time-sensitive documents and bills, and even Social Security payments. We believe these taxpayer-funded services should serve rural and urban areas equally to the maximum extent possible. Further restricting access to services in rural areas does not accomplish this goal,” Farm Bureau president Garrett Hawkins wrote.
MOFB President @JGarrettHawkins sent a letter to @USPS Postmaster General Louis DeJoy this morning regarding concerns Missourians have with service in rural areas. The letter was also shared with Missouri's Congressional delegation.#MOFarmBureau | #MOag | #agvocate pic.twitter.com/FyGZ3xRx4J
— Missouri Farm Bureau (@MOFarmBureau) November 13, 2024
Hawkins also took issue with what he called “already slow delivery times” for rural Missourians.
“Per studies cited by Arslan Saleem, USPS Director of Corporate Performance Reporting and Analytics, in testimony to Congress, nearly 68% of single-piece first-class mail volume will experience downgrades in rural areas,” Hawkins wrote.
The Farm Bureau aren't the only ones who have thrown criticism at USPS. In February, Sen. Josh Hawley raised concerns over inconsistent mail service in Kansas City. Hawley reiterated concerns on Thursday on his social media. This comes two years after he called for an audit of the postal service after Northland, Kansas City residents experienced issues getting their mail.
ABC 17 News spoke with several Columbia residents on Thursday to see if they were experiencing any of the same issues. Overall, the vast majority of people said they have not had much trouble with the post office.
Columbia resident Mara Aruguette said she has never experienced any issues with delays using the U.S. Postal Service.
“Definitely a really positive experience,” Aruguette said. “I hope they [people living in don’t experience delays. But because I live in town maybe, I haven’t experienced issues.”
Barry Walker moved to Columbia from St. Louis five years ago. He said the only issue he's experienced in either city is when the post office continued to send packages to his old address in St. Louis. However, like Aruguette, he has not experienced any of the same postal struggles that other rural Missourians have.
"People are really friendly here [Columbia Post Office], they have a good sense of humor and I've found that their service has been efficient," Walker said.
Check back for updates.
