The USDA Announces Major Staff Relocation
The US Department of Agriculture revealed plans to relocate a significant portion of its Washington, D.C., staff to five regional hubs, leading to the abandonment of several buildings in the nation’s capital, including the flagship research center.
With no more than 2,000 USDA employees to remain in Washington, the remaining 2,600 individuals will be moved to hubs in Raleigh, Kansas City, Indianapolis, Fort Collins, and Salt Lake City.
Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins emphasized the importance of better serving farmers and producers by moving key services outside the beltway into various American cities.
One of the key goals of the relocation plan is to bring the agency’s staff closer to its core constituents, according to Rollins.
The USDA’s workforce reduction includes voluntary retirements and participation in the Deferred Retirement Program, with over 15,000 workers opting for financial incentives to resign.
The agency’s plan to downsize and reorganize is part of the broader effort by the Trump administration to streamline the federal workforce.
The Senate and House Agriculture Committees expressed disappointment over not being consulted on the plan and called for hearings on the reorganization effort.
Furthermore, the USDA intends to reduce or close some regional offices and consolidate the National Agricultural Statistics Service from twelve offices to five.
The Forest Service will also close its nine regional offices in the coming year, taking into account the ongoing fire season.
Employee Ethan Roberts highlighted concerns about the impact of voluntary resignations on the Agricultural Research Service’s workload and the potential loss of critical administrative staff.
Reuters contributed to this report.
