RPC to USDA: Reverse Your Reorganization Plans
Back in July—as a surprise to many including many Congressional policymakers—the USDA announced an agency-wide reorganization plan that would force thousands of employees to resign or relocate. Following a prior relocation during the previous Trump Administration, personnel from two USDA research bureaus were told they had to move to Kansas City or leave the agency. This resulted in many staff members leaving and low morale among employees who did stay at the agency.
Thus, with this proposed reorganization, already the USDA is facing a mass exodus of experienced personnel, with over 15,000 employees already accepting offers to resign. The damage that has already occurred is irreversible, but Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins can still take action to protect her agency from being dismantled which would have detrimental effects on countless farmers and rural communities, and would directly impact programs that RPC is focused on, including the Residential Energy Assistance Payment (REAP) Empowering Rural America (New ERA) program, Powering Affordable Clean Energy (PACE) program, and the Rural Utility Service core loan program.
The USDA has sought public comment on the reorganization, and RPC has submitted a comment, which can be read below. You can find the actual comment we sent here.
Dear Secretary Rollins,
We are writing to express our concern and strong opposition to the ongoing, rushed reorganization of the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). The already-undertaken relocation and restructuring efforts have had far-reaching negative impacts on both the department’s workforce and its ability to fulfill its vital mission and implement its programs.
Programmatic slowdowns erode trust between the public and USDA. The disruptions caused by staffing reductions and the failure to deliver programs as promised (or contractually obligated) have already, evidently had this effect.
Critical services and programs have suffered, including:
Delays in reimbursements for REAP grantees
Delays in environmental review, contract negotiation, and implementation of the Empowering Rural America (New ERA) program, Powering Affordable Clean Energy (PACE) program, and the Rural Utility Service core loan program
Delays in statistical reporting and weakened administration of food safety, nutrition programs, energy assistance programs, and research
A mass exodus of experienced personnel is underway.
More than 15,000 USDA employees—which is about 15% of the department’s entire workforce—have already accepted offers to resign. Additionally, reorganization will impose substantial financial and personal burdens on USDA employees that could drive further departures from the department. Many of these individuals were long-term experts in their fields, and will be difficult to replace. This departure of skilled professionals leads to a steep decline in morale and job satisfaction, which has serious implications for staff retention, productivity, and the department’s overall performance.
Reorganization poses significant risks to transparency and accountability. Relocating staff outside of Washington, D.C. reduces proximity to decision-makers and other agencies, making oversight more difficult. Staff relocated to distant “hubs” will effectively be sidelined, and will have less access to policy discussions, and less influence over policy decisions.
In addition, reorganization will have profound impacts on a broad array of programs critical to the quality of life of millions of rural Americans.
The Food and Nutrition Service alone oversees 16 essential nutrition programs—including SNAP, school meals, and food bank support—that millions of Americans depend on. Reductions to SNAP will ripple beyond nutrition support by creating barriers to participation in other safety net programs like the Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP). Currently, programs like these share income verification processes, streamlining eligibility and ensuring efficient access for vulnerable households.
Furthermore, the aforementioned harmful effects of reorganization will be compounded when occurring in tandem with impending Medicaid cuts, which are expected to accelerate the closure of rural hospitals. National studies estimate that more than 600 rural hospitals are at risk of closure, as a result of these cuts. These closures would worsen the public health challenges facing rural America by forcing residents to travel long distances for care or go without essential services altogether.
The result of reorganization is not just higher energy insecurity but also increased health risks for seniors, children, and medically vulnerable households. Continued staff losses and structural upheaval will only worsen these challenges.
We urge you to reconsider and reverse the USDA’s reorganization plans.
These recent changes have weakened the agency, demoralized its workforce, and jeopardized services that are essential to farmers, families, and communities across the country.
Sincerely,
Rural Power Coalition
Take Action
The USDA is still accepting comments from the public on reorganization until August 31. If you are a stakeholder or partner, please leave your comment before then
According to the USDA page:
”All stakeholders, including USDA employees, members of Congress, and agricultural and nutrition partners, are encouraged to provide feedback by emailing reorganization@usda.gov. The comment period is open through August 31.” 2025.