Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins announced on July 24 that the USDA would soon relocate workers to areas outside of Washington. This decision follows President Trump’s relocation plan, which aims to reduce the national debt and lower government spending.
In a video message addressing USDA employees, Rollins acknowledged the personal impact of the agency’s recent decision.
“While this is a strategic and long term decision for USDA, I know that for you, this is an immediate and potentially major change,” she said. “I want you all to know that this decision was not entered lightly.”
Approximately 2,600 of Washington USDA employees will be relocated to five regional hubs: Salt Lake City; Fort Collins, Colorado; Indianapolis; Kansas City, Missouri; and Raleigh, North Carolina. Under the plan, the USDA aims to cut its Washington-based staff from 4,600 to about 2,000.
Previously, to reduce its workforce, the agency encouraged voluntary retirements and deferred resignations, with more than 15,000 employees already having left through these programs. Department spokesperson Rollins said the agency will continue to “fully leverage” deferred resignations and support early retirements.
An agency budgeting official said each relocation is expected to cost about $150,000, including moving expenses, separation packages and transition support. Rollins added that the department may offer additional incentives to employees who do not want to move, allowing it to reduce staff without formal layoffs.
The plan has drawn strong reactions from within the USDA and several employees said they are concerned about their ability to serve effectively in their new locations.
“This administration [is not] interested in supporting staff or even really in the jobs we do,” an anonymous USDA employee said in an interview with POLITICO. “If they cared about either of those things, if they cared about serving farmers and ranchers, they wouldn’t have taken away all the staff, tools and resources we use to serve them.”
Chad Hart, a professor of agricultural economics at Iowa State University, warned the plan could lead to the loss of senior staff.
“We will likely see a brain drain out of USDA. Not everybody is going to just want to pick up and move to some of these regional centers,” he told KCCI.
However, despite criticism, some policymakers have been supportive of the idea. Senator Todd Young of Indiana supported the idea and said on social media that it is “great to see these services move outside of DC and into places like Indiana that feed our nation.”
