Critics predict loss of institutional knowledge and service disruptions to ranchers, farmers and communities
WASHINGTON, D.C. – In response to the recent USDA reorganization announcement, agricultural organizations are expressing a range of concerns and criticisms.
Several organizations, including the National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition (NSAC) and the National Farmers Union (NFU), are critical of the lack of consultation with stakeholders and Congress before the announcement. Organizations are raising concerns about the potential for significant staff turnover, loss of institutional knowledge, and disruption of critical services due to the large-scale restructuring and relocation of agency offices, according to the Red River Farm Network.
“Farm communities are facing urgent challenges,” Rob Larew, National Farmers Union president says. “While NFU supports efforts to enhance USDA efficiency and service delivery, we are concerned that large-scale restructuring or relocation of agency offices could result in significant staff turnover, loss of institutional knowledge and service disruptions, at a time when farmers, ranchers and their communities critically depend on these services to stay afloat. NFU will closely monitor these developments to ensure that any major changes are strategic and that the needs of family farmers and ranchers remain the top priority.”
While announcing the reorganization of the agency charged with providing leadership on food, agriculture, natural resources, rural development, nutrition, and related issues, USDA Secretary of Agriculture Brooke L. Rollins said the agency is refocusing its core operations to support American farming, ranching and forestry, moving staff out of Washington and closer to farm land.
A press release from Rollins said, “Over the last four years, USDA’s workforce grew by 8%, and employees’ salaries increased by 14.5% — including hiring thousands of employees with no sustainable way to pay them. Rollin’s statement goes on to say that the “USDA’s footprint in the National Capital Region is underutilized and redundant, plagued by rampant overspending and decades of mismanagement and costly deferred maintenance.” The NCR includes Washington, D.C., and surrounding areas in Virginia and Maryland.
But there are fears that the reorganization could negatively impact USDA’s ability to provide services, including research, fire prevention, and support for farmers and rural communities. While the USDA cited concerns about cost and efficiency as reasons for the reorganization, some organizations question whether these goals will be achieved.
“A reorganization of this scale will impact USDA’s ability to provide critical services to Americans and undermine the Agency’s trusted expertise that farmers and families count on,” U.S. Senator Amy Klobuchar of Minnesota and Ranking Member of the Senate Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry Committee says. “I have serious doubts that the Administration adequately considered the impact of this move on research and on services for famers and rural Americans, particularly after the loss of over 15,000 employees in the past six months. The USDA must come before Congress to explain why it wants to adopt this plan, just as farmers have been hit with obscenely high tariffs, families have been walloped by SNAP cuts, and research grants have been frozen and reduced. Agriculture has always been America’s pride and joy. This half-baked proposal – submitted with no consultation with leading Agricultural Senators – will set us back.” We must have an immediate hearing before more damage is done.”
The reorganization consists of four pillars:
- Ensure the size of USDA’s workforce aligns with available financial resources and agricultural priorities
- Bring USDA closer to its customers
- Eliminate management layers and bureaucracy
- Consolidate redundant support functions
The USDA will move staff out of the District of Columbia to five hub locations in the country, which will, according to the department, save money in salaries, the press release said.
There are about 4,600 employees in the NCR region, which has a high cost of living. The federal salary locality rate is 34%, whereas the other hubs are lower.
USDA’s five hub locations and federal locality rates:
- Raleigh, N.C. (22.24%)
- Kansas City, Mo. (18.97%)
- Indianapolis, Ind. (18.15%)
- Fort Collins, Colo. (30.52%)
- Salt Lake City, Utah (17.06%)
In addition, several Washington-area buildings will close, including the South building of USDA’s headquarters, a Food and Nutrition Services facility in Alexandria, Virginia, the Beltsville Agricultural Research Center and the George Washington Carver Center.
Agriculture Department officials say that, in recent years, more than 15,000 USDA employees have taken voluntary deferred resignation.
Meanwhile, the NSAC is calling for the USDA to pause the reorganization to gather public comment from farmers and ranchers. Members of Congress and agricultural organizations are also urging for immediate hearings to examine the reorganization plan and its potential impacts, according to the Oklahoma Farm Report.
