AFGE and the American Federation of State, County & Municipal Employees are urging the Trump administration to abandon plans to relocate thousands of federal employees at the U.S. Department of Agriculture outside the nation’s capital.
In late July, USDA Secretary Brook Rollins announced plans to relocate all but 2,000 of the 4,600 employees currently stationed in the D.C. area – even though nearly 95% of USDA employees already work outside D.C. Part of the plan calls for shutting down the Beltsville Agricultural Research Center in Maryland, which has been the crown jewel of the agency’s award-winning research into improving our agricultural practices.
In an Aug. 26 letter to USDA Secretary Brook Rollins, the unions said that USDA is legally required to receive congressional approval before proceeding with any reorganization. But if the department is determined to proceed without such approval, the unions called for pausing the reorganization to allow for input and consultation with Congress, state agencies, national and local partners, USDA workers, and the communities they serve.
“The work of USDA employees is essential for ensuring that American farmers, ranchers, foresters and others in the agriculture industry have access to the resources and programs they require; helping rural communities improve access to broadband; providing states and localities with the additional resources needed to fight wildfires and maintain forestland; maintaining a safe food supply; and administering essential nutrition programs to seniors, families, disabled Americans, veterans, students and young children in child care programs,” the unions wrote.
“Coordination among well-staffed D.C.-based headquarters office and field staff is crucial for advancing the agency’s mission effectively and efficiently. This sudden reorganization plan imperils these vital services by threatening to upend the lives of thousands of workers who make them possible — which will result in the loss of extraordinary experience and expertise due to high anticipated rates of attrition — and also by eviscerating essential connections between USDA political appointees at D.C. headquarters and agency staff at field offices around the country.”
In the letter, the unions say there is no legitimate rationale for relocating employees, that the plan will not save taxpayers any money, and that the beneficiaries of USDA’s programs and services will suffer in the end.
“The hollowing out of USDA’s workforce is not a theoretical risk. It is a documented outcome, backed by workforce attrition data from the department’s last relocation attempt. This plan threatens to permanently degrade USDA’s ability to deliver science-based solutions to the climate crisis, global food insecurity, farm resiliency and economic development in rural America,” the unions said.
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