The USDA unveiled its comprehensive reorganization plan to improve efficiency, accountability and service while reducing bureaucracy and operational costs. The plan involves relocating over 2,000 employees from the National Capital Region (NCR) to five regional hubs in North Carolina, Missouri, Indiana, Colorado, and Utah.

Two additional administrative centers will remain in Albuquerque and Minneapolis. The move is intended to align USDA services more closely with its agricultural constituents and address the high costs associated with operating in Washington, D.C.

The reorganization is built on four pillars:

  • Aligning workforce size with resources
  • Relocating staff closer to customers
  • Eliminating management layers
  • Consolidating support functions

The USDA aims to reduce its NCR workforce to under 2,000. It has already seen over 15,000 voluntary departures. Agencies such as the Agriculture Research Service, Forest Service and Food and Nutrition Service will undergo structural consolidation and relocation.

Support functions, including civil rights, legislative affairs, and FOIA operations, will also be centralized. According to Ag Secretary Brooke Rollins, the reorganization reflects a commitment to delivering better value to the American people and supporting agricultural communities more directly.

Read more about the USDA’s restructuring plans here.