The Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) has announced a significant milestone in its cost-cutting efforts, reporting an estimated $65 billion in total savings. These reductions come from contract cancellations, lease renegotiations, fraud detection, and workforce reductions.
As part of its transparency initiative, DOGE has begun sharing details about specific cost-cutting measures, including the cancellation of a Farm Service Agency (FSA) lease in Watertown, South Dakota.
Breaking Down the $65 Billion Savings
According to DOGE’s February 24, 2025, report, the estimated $65 billion savings come from various financial adjustments, including:
- Fraud detection and deletion
- Contract and lease cancellations
- Contract and lease renegotiations
- Asset sales
- Grant cancellations
- Workforce reductions
- Programmatic changes
- Regulatory savings
The organization emphasizes that full transparency is a priority, promising to make this data publicly available under applicable regulations.
Lease Cancellation in Watertown, SD
One of DOGE’s latest cost-cutting actions includes the cancellation of a Farm Service Agency—County lease in Watertown, South Dakota. The lease, located at 1720 4TH ST NE, SUITE 1, had an annual cost of $238,328. The reported total savings from this cancellation amount to $278,049.
DOGE is still finalizing the termination details, with official notifications sent to both the lessor and the affected government agencies. However, discrepancies between DOGE’s reported figures and the Federal Procurement Data System (FPDS) may exist due to a one-month data update lag. The organization is encouraging the public to report discrepancies via their @DOGE X account.
Expanding Cost-Cutting Efforts Across the Country
The Watertown Farm Service Agency is not the only office affected by these reductions. DOGE has announced closures or lease cancellations for several other FSA locations, including:
- FARM SERVICE AGENCY – STATE | Fargo, ND
- FARM SERVICE AGENCY – COUNTY | Batesville, AR
- FARM SERVICE AGENCY – COUNTY | Hendersonville, NC
- FARM SERVICE AGENCY – COUNTY | Paragould, AR
- FARM SERVICE AGENCY – STATE | Lexington-Fayette, KY
- FAS SERVICE CENTER | O’Fallon, IL
- FAS OFFICE SPACE | Fairborn, OH
These closures signal a broader effort to reduce government office space costs, with more lease terminations expected in the coming months.
DOGE’s Transparency and Future Updates
To maintain accountability and transparency, DOGE has pledged to update its data twice weekly. The ultimate goal is to transition to real-time updates as the agency improves its website and reporting systems.
In response to these developments, KXLG News has reached out to the Watertown County Executive Director and USDA South Dakota Deputy Executive Director for a statement on the lease termination and its potential impact on local services.
