USDA Opens Public Comment Period on Reorganization Plan

Washington, D.C. — The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) opened a 30-day public comment period for stakeholders to provide feedback on the department’s reorganization plan announced by U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins July 24.

The reorganization is part of USDA’s process to reduce its workforce and includes a phased plan to relocate much of the department’s headquarters and staff out of the Washington, D.C., area to five hubs: Raleigh, N.C.; Kansas City, Mo.; Indianapolis, Ind.; Fort Collins, Colo.; and Salt Lake City, Utah.

“As committed, we are continuing to hear stakeholder feedback on the USDA reorganization,” said Rollins in an Aug. 1 release. “All stakeholders — including Capitol Hill offices, USDA employees and members of the agricultural community — are encouraged to share their input during the open comment period. We value your perspective as we work to ensure that USDA is best positioned to serve America’s farmers, ranchers, producers and rural communities.”

USDA is conducting the reorganization under its authority established in the Reorganization Plan No. 2 of 1953 and The Department of Agriculture Reorganization Act of 1994. The secretarial memorandum delegates authority to the deputy secretary.

"President Trump made clear his second term would include relocating the sprawling federal bureaucracy to locations outside the National Capital Region," said U.S. Deputy Secretary of Agriculture Stephen Vaden in his Capitol Hill testimony July 30. "The department's July 24 memorandum begins to deliver on this promise and does so in a way that right-sizes the USDA footprint, eliminates unnecessary management layers, consolidates redundant or duplicative functions and, most importantly, allows USDA to deliver on its mission to the American people within the bounds of its available financial resources."

HOW TO SUBMIT COMMENTS.

Stakeholders may provide feedback on the USDA reorganization by emailing reorganization@usda.gov. The comment period is open through Aug. 26.