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WASHINGTON – The American Federation of Government Employees is warning the public that the Trump administration’s attempts to forcibly relocate more than half of the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s D.C.-based workforce out of the nation’s capital will undermine many of the USDA’s programs and services.
USDA has sent relocation notices within the past month to employees AFGE represents at the Economic Research Service (ERS), National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA), Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS), the Agricultural Research Service (ARS), and Food and Nutrition Service (FNS). Notices also have gone out to employees at other USDA components including the U.S. Forest Service and the National Agricultural Statistics Service.
AFGE National President Everett Kelley issued the following statement:
“Forcing federal employees to move thousands of miles away just to keep their jobs has nothing to do with making USDA operations more efficient or responsive to the public – in fact, it will have the opposite effect, as most workers will quit a job they love rather than uproot themselves and their families.
“We don’t have to guess what will happen because we went through this during the first Trump administration, when the Economic Research Service and the National Institute of Food and Agriculture were relocated to Kansas City. Over half of employees resigned or retired, resulting in a massive exodus of experienced scientists and researchers from which the department still hasn’t recovered.
“This latest effort is even broader in scope – relocating not only the D.C. headquarters for ERS and NIFA but also the Food Safety and Inspection Service and the Agriculture Research Service, including decommissioning the historic Beltsville Agricultural Research Center in Maryland that is responsible for award-winning research into improving our agricultural practices. And that’s despite Congress prohibiting the department from reorganizing or relocating any offices or employees unless Congress authorizes it.
“Nearly 95% of all USDA employees already work outside of D.C., so it’s clear that this restructuring effort has nothing to do with bringing services closer to the people. This is yet another attempt by this administration to undermine the professional and independent work of federal researchers, data scientists, and food safety inspectors that is clearly not valued or respected.
“On behalf of the tens of thousands of USDA employees our union represents – and in defense of the critical work they deliver for the American people – I urge Congress to immediately intervene and halt this illegal and unapproved relocation.”
American Federation of Government Employees news release
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