The Agriculture Department’s plan to relocate thousands of staff members and consolidate dozens of offices has received overwhelmingly negative feedback.
Government Executive reports that employees, lawmakers, and stakeholders say it could lead to “brain drain” due to a loss of employees not wanting to relocate, which may mean significant disruptions in farmer-support programs.
The agency has only ten percent of its workforce currently in the Washington, D.C., area, but the department wants to relocate about 2,600 of those employees to new locations.
USDA intends to move a large number of employees to five regional hubs around the country. It will also slash other regional offices around the U.S. and consolidate many support functions.
“Stakeholders worry that the cost-cutting measures will prioritize efficiency over service quality, which would undermine public trust in the agency,” Government Executive said.
