Revised Organizational Structure at USDA Proposes Minimal Layoffs, Anticipates Most Employees to Agree to Transfers

The Agriculture Department has announced a plan to move 2,600 employees out of Washington, D.C., and into five new hubs around the country. The new hubs will be located in Raleigh, North Carolina; Kansas City, Missouri; Indianapolis; Fort Collins, Colorado; and Salt Lake City, Utah.

The reorganization plan aims to build the next generation of leadership for the department through the career ranks, but it has generated pushback from senators in both parties. The concern stems from the fact that none of the top five agricultural states were chosen for the new hubs.

Deputy Secretary Stephen Vaden stated that cost of living was the primary factor in making the selections, and the locations would still place employees closer to agricultural states than Washington, D.C. The USDA is expecting better retention this time around, with locations offering a cheaper cost of living incentivizing employees to remain with the department.

The department has already shed more than 15,000 employees from its initiative that allowed employees to sit on paid leave for several months before resigning. The plan includes the consolidation of dozens of offices and the closure of one of its headquarters buildings and three additional offices in the Washington area.

Vaden stated that the department's intention is that any employee willing to move will keep their job. However, he also noted that large-scale layoffs will not be necessary, but reductions in force (RIFs) may be utilized "if needed." Vaden added that he would have to personally approve of any RIFs.

The USDA is currently soliciting feedback from employees, stakeholders, and lawmakers regarding the reorganization plan. Additionally, early retirement and buyout incentives may be offered as the reorganization is implemented.

Several Democratic senators have questioned whether the reorganization plan is truly about better serving USDA employees and agricultural producers. They have expressed concerns that the plan may not be in the best interest of the department or the country.

In the past, the Agriculture Department's Economic Research Service and National Institute of Food and Agriculture moved their headquarters back to Washington under President Biden, after losing more than half of their staff during a previous relocation to Kansas City in 2019. The department is hoping to avoid a similar loss of productivity this time around.

The search results do not contain any information about the names of USDA employees responsible for the decision on RIFs. Therefore, the names of those employees cannot be provided based on the available data.

Vaden stated that the number of employees who might require RIFs will likely be a small number. He also suggested that the department is expecting better retention due to the cheaper cost of living in the new hub locations.

The Agriculture Department's reorganization plan puts a thumb on the scale against future RIFs, according to Vaden. However, the ultimate success of the plan remains to be seen, as it is met with skepticism from some lawmakers and concerns about its impact on USDA employees and agricultural producers.

Revised Organizational Structure at USDA Proposes Minimal Layoffs, Anticipates Most Employees to Agree to Transfers