The Trump administration’s plan to reorganize and downsize the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is expected to be released by mid-May, according to Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins. Speaking after a series of events in North Dakota, Rollins indicated the restructuring could involve consolidating USDA programs with other federal agencies to improve efficiency.
Rollins noted that aspects of USDA Rural Development could be moved elsewhere, citing the overlap among multiple agencies managing housing and rural development programs. “There are seven agencies that deal with housing, including USDA,” she said. “There are 12 agencies that deal with rural prosperity and rural programming. This is the first time we’re taking a hard look at how our government is organized.”
Federal wildfire services could also be part of the restructuring. Currently, the USDA oversees the Forest Service, while the Department of the Interior manages the Bureau of Land Management. Rollins suggested that better coordination is needed to improve wildfire response and firefighter training.
She emphasized that the goal of the reorganization is to streamline services without cutting essential support programs. “We’re not taking food away from hungry kids or stopping wildfire efforts,” Rollins said. “The focus is on reducing layers of bureaucracy and using taxpayer dollars more effectively.”
Buyouts Signal Broader Downsizing
The reorganization plan follows a recent round of voluntary buyouts across USDA. According to internal figures reported earlier this month, more than 12,000 employees, or over 10% of the USDA workforce, have accepted buyout offers. This includes approximately 3,100 employees from the Forest Service and 1,200 from the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service.
The buyouts, which provided paid leave through September, were positioned as a first step before additional layoffs, depending on how many employees left voluntarily.
Washington D.C. Presence to Shrink
The USDA is also reportedly planning to reduce its footprint in Washington, D.C. The department is expected to vacate one of its two headquarters buildings and relocate thousands of employees to three regional hubs across the country. Locations for these hubs have not yet been announced.
In a statement previewing the changes, the USDA said it aims to “optimize its workforce by eliminating positions that are no longer necessary, bringing employees back to the office, and relocating staff to rural communities to better support agricultural and rural development.”
More details on the full downsizing and reorganization plan are expected in the coming weeks.
