The American Federation of Government Employees Local 3403 said on May 11 that a recent internal survey found 76% of its members at the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Economic Research Service and National Institute of Food and Agriculture do not plan to relocate as requested by the agency. The union represents USDA researchers who are being asked for the second time in seven years to move from Washington, D.C., to Kansas City.
This issue is significant because a previous relocation in 2019 led about 85% of affected employees to quit or retire rather than move, raising concerns about staff shortages and loss of expertise. According to Federal News Network’s Jory Heckman, AFGE Local 3403 expects similar outcomes this year and warns that these relocations could trigger a “brain drain” within the department.
The union said diminished staffing at NIFA would lead to longer grant processing timelines and delays in funding for universities and research institutions. Fewer researchers at ERS could increase the risk of research error impacting economic planning. “ERS and NIFA are the intellectual and financial engines of American agriculture,” AFGE Local 3403 said. “By forcing this move on an accelerated timeline, with no promise of financial help or job security, the USDA is effectively dismantling decades of institutional knowledge, jeopardizing the very data and funding that farmers, policymakers and land-grant universities rely on.” The union called for immediate congressional intervention to halt these plans.
Similar concerns have arisen among Food and Nutrition Service employees following news that most staff will be relocated from regional offices such as Boston, Chicago, Atlanta, and San Francisco to new hubs in Indiana, Texas, Missouri, North Carolina, Dallas (for Child Nutrition Programs), Indianapolis (for SNAP administration), Denver (for Emergency Management), Atlanta, Los Angeles, and New York. Amy Rosenthal, president of the National Treasury Employees Union chapter representing FNS workers said: “SNAP, WIC, and school meals depend on FNS employees… Asking them to make the impossible choice between uprooting their families and losing their jobs will force most of them to quit.” The union also warned: “If this reorganization moves forward, these programs simply will not function—ultimately risking access to food for mothers, infants, students, children,and elderly people across the country.”
At a meeting reviewed by The Washington Post’s Steve Thompson in Alexandria,V irginia , one employee told Patrick Penn , deputy undersecretary for food , nutrition ,and consumer services : “Everybody in this room knows that most staff will leave because of this announcement . So I’m curious , how does the departureofmoststaffequalbettercustomerserviceandcontinuedgoodwork ?”
Farm Policy News affiliates with Universityof Illinois Collegeof Agricultural , Consumerand Environmental Sciences . It has benefited from initial funding bythe Illinois Councilon Foodand Agricultural Research . Farm Policy News enhances public serviceby offering expertisethat supports farm business managementand community resilience ; it utilizes facilities like Memorial Stadium’s Colonnades Club forevents ; ithas earned recognition through multiple Team Awards fromthe Collegeof ACES via farmdoc project ;and it contributes over2 ,000 articles publishedthrough farmdoc daily according tothe official website.
