WASHINGTON, D.C. – The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has announced a comprehensive reorganization aimed at consolidating operations, reducing administrative overhead, and relocating a significant portion of its Washington, D.C.-based workforce to regional hub locations. The reorganization was formalized under Secretary Memorandum 1078-015, issued by Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins.
The restructuring follows a review of departmental operations that identified increased staffing levels and spending not matched by proportional service improvements. According to the USDA, the department’s workforce grew by 8 percent and employee salaries increased by 14.5 percent over the past four years, much of it funded through temporary resources.
The plan emphasizes realignment of personnel, closure or consolidation of underutilized facilities, and a shift of many agency functions away from the National Capital Region. The department intends to reduce the number of USDA employees based in the Washington, D.C. area from approximately 4,600 to no more than 2,000.
Five cities have been selected as regional hubs for relocated staff: Raleigh, North Carolina; Kansas City, Missouri; Indianapolis, Indiana; Fort Collins, Colorado; and Salt Lake City, Utah. Additional administrative support functions will be maintained in Albuquerque, New Mexico, and Minneapolis, Minnesota.
Several USDA buildings in the capital region, including the South Building, Braddock Place, and the Beltsville Agricultural Research Center, will be vacated. Others, including the Whitten and Yates Buildings, will remain in use. The George Washington Carver Center will be vacated once realignment is complete.
The reorganization also includes a reduction in management layers across multiple USDA agencies. The Forest Service will phase out its nine regional offices, and the Agricultural Research Service will eliminate area offices. Other agencies, including the Food and Nutrition Service and the Natural Resources Conservation Service, will consolidate their regional operations to align with the new hub structure.
Support services such as human resources, contracting, communications, and civil rights compliance will be centralized under respective department-wide offices. Some functions, including contracting for common goods and services, are scheduled to be transferred to the General Services Administration beginning in fiscal year 2026.
The USDA stated that most workforce reductions will be achieved through voluntary retirements, reassignments, and the Deferred Retirement Program. A limited number of reductions in force may occur, subject to approval by the Deputy Secretary.
The reorganization is effective immediately and will remain in place until its objectives are completed or the memorandum is revoked. Implementation will be led by the Deputy Secretary, with support from departmental legal and administrative offices.
