USDA to relocate majority of DC staff to regional hubs

The US Department of Agriculture announced 24 July 2025 that it will move more than half of its Washington, DC–area workforce to regional hubs across the country, continuing a broader Trump administration effort to decentralize federal agencies and streamline operations, reports Roll Call.

According to a memorandum from Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins, USDA will reduce its DC–based staff from approximately 4,600 to fewer than 2,000, reassigning affected employees to five cities: Raleigh, NC; Kansas City.; Indianapolis.; Fort Collins, CO; and Salt Lake City. These locations offer significantly lower locality pay rates—potentially saving taxpayer dollars, a move touted by Rollins as strategic to place "USDA closer to the people it serves."

The memo outlines that 15,364 USDA employees have already opted for deferred resignation or voluntary incentives as part of workforce reduction rather than a mass layoff. Additional consolidation includes the elimination of stand-alone regional offices and merging responsibilities within the National Programs Office and Congressional Relations Office. Notably, the Forest Service will phase out nine regional offices, though critical fire science labs will remain open, and operations will be tailored to the ongoing wildfire season.