Federal government's Agriculture department to abandon numerous buildings in Washington, shifting personnel to local regional offices instead
USDA Announces Major Relocation Plan Affecting Thousands of Employees
The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) has unveiled a significant reorganization plan that aims to relocate over half of its staff currently based in the Washington, D.C. area to five regional hubs across the country. This move is part of an effort to reduce costs, eliminate redundancies, and bring USDA staff closer to the farmers, ranchers, and producers they serve.
The plan, announced by Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins on July 24, 2020, will see approximately 2,600 employees relocated to regional hubs spanning from North Carolina to Utah. The five hub locations are Raleigh, North Carolina; Kansas City, Missouri; Indianapolis; Fort Collins, Colorado; and Salt Lake City.
Key aspects of the plan include:
- The vacating of several key buildings in Washington, D.C., such as the South Building (which will be completely vacated).
- The relocation of staff to the five hub locations, with additional core administrative support facilities continuing in Albuquerque, New Mexico, and Minneapolis, Minnesota.
- The maintaining of critical service centers and laboratories in St. Louis, Missouri; Lincoln, Nebraska; and Missoula, Montana.
- The elimination of stand-alone regional offices, including parts of the Agriculture Research Service (ARS), with some of its functions consolidated under ARS’s Office of National Programs.
- The consolidation of the National Agricultural Statistics Service regions from 12 down to five hubs over multiple years.
The USDA's plan also includes a reduction or closure of some regional offices, such as parts of the ARS, with some functions consolidated under ARS’s Office of National Programs. However, the specifics about the Beltsville Agricultural Research Center were not directly mentioned in the sources available.
Secretary Rollins emphasized that this reorganization would better serve USDA’s “core constituents” by placing employees geographically closer to farmers and rural communities.
However, the plan has faced criticism. Critics, including federal worker unions and some former USDA officials, warn that the relocation and reduction efforts could accelerate the loss of experienced staff and weaken program delivery to farmers, ranchers, and rural communities. There is concern this will result in a smaller, less experienced USDA workforce and diminished technical and financial services.
Senate Agriculture Committee's chair, Arkansas Republican Sen. John Boozman, and the ranking members, Minnesota Democratic Sen. Amy Klobuchar and Minnesota Democrat Rep. Angie Craig, were not consulted on the USDA's relocation plan. Senator Boozman expressed disappointment that the USDA did not share its plans in advance of the announcement.
In addition, the memo from the agency also mentions that the plan to close or reduce regional offices takes into consideration the ongoing fire season for the Forest Service.
The Agricultural Research Service's staff have already struggled with their workload due to voluntary resignations, with over 15,000 workers, about 15% of the USDA's total workforce, having voluntarily chosen to resign due to financial incentive offers.
Representative Craig stated that the reorganization announced by the agriculture secretary without notice or input from Congress or key stakeholders is a risk to the effectiveness of the agencies and programs that support America's family farmers.
The USDA's plan is part of its process of reducing its workforce, with much of the reduction happening through voluntary retirements and the agency's Deferred Retirement Program. No more than 2,000 USDA employees will remain in the Washington area after the reorganization effort.
The plan has generated controversy over its potential impact on USDA workforce capacity and service quality.
[1] USDA to relocate thousands of employees
[2] USDA to relocate thousands of employees
[3] USDA to relocate thousands of employees
[4] USDA to relocate thousands of employees
[5] USDA to relocate thousands of employees
- The USDA's major relocation plan, affecting thousands of employees, aims to reduce costs and bring staff closer to the farmers, ranchers, and producers they serve.
- The USDA's economy-driven plan involves the relocation of approximately 2,600 employees to regional hubs, a move that has sparked concerns about program delivery and workforce capacity.
- The USDA's finance-focused reorganization plan includes the relocation of thousands of employees to regional hubs across the country, a move that has been criticized for potentially weakening technical and financial services.
