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by Marion Nestle
Jul
29
2025
The proposed destruction of the USDA: it’s deja vu all over again.
The USDA has just announced a plan for reorganization that will move most of the agency out of Washington, DC, as flagrant an act of self-destruction as can be imagined.
The ostensible reason for this is to “To bring USDA closer to the people it serves while also providing a more affordable cost of living for USDA employees.”
The idea is to relocate USDA staff to these five places.
- Raleigh, North Carolina (22.24%)
- Kansas City, Missouri (18.97%)
- Indianapolis, Indiana (18.15%)
- Fort Collins, Colorado (30.52%)
- Salt Lake City, Utah (17.06%)
A five-page memorandum and a YouTube video explain that these moves will
- Ensure the size of USDA’s workforce aligns with available financial resources and agricultural priorities
- Bring USDA closer to its customers
- Eliminate management layers and bureaucracy
- Consolidate redundant support functions
My translation: Destroy the USDA. Decimate Washington, DC in the process.
Recall the destruction of the Economic Research Service during the Trump I administration. I wrote about its forced relocation to Kansas City as a national tragedy; it destroyed a tiny unit within USDA that did fabulous research (it is still producing reports, but not like the ones formerly issued).
You don’t believe me? See the Government Accountability Office’s analysis of the move: it caused most skilled personnel to resign and did not save any money.
This will do the same.
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