On July 24, U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins announced a reorganization of the U.S. Department of Agriculture that will relocate thousands of federal employees and close a regional U.S. Forest Service office in Milwaukee, Wis.

The changes are expected to reduce USDA’s footprint in Washington, D.C. and realign its regional structure. The change involves a shift of personnel to five regional hubs across the country.

USDA plans to relocate thousands of employees to these five hubs:

— Raleigh (Wake County, North Carolina)

— Kansas City (Jackson, Clay, Platte and Cass counties, Missouri)

— Indianapolis (Marion County, Indiana)

— Fort Collins (Larimer County, Colorado)

— Salt Lake City (Salt Lake County, Utah)

According to a report from States Newsroom, criticisms have been raised across party lines as Congress wasn’t consulted on the announced plan. At a U.S. Senate Agriculture Committee hearing Wednesday, some Republicans whose states were passed over in selecting the proposed hubs had sharp questions for USDA Deputy Secretary Stephen Alexander Vaden. A few Democrats who would gain a federal presence under the proposal were less critical.

North Dakota Republican John Hoeven said he supports finding cost savings, but wants more communication with Congress.

“We support the goals, but we want it to be a process where you work with Congress, with the Senate, both the authorizing committee and the Appropriations Committee on it, and we achieve those results together,” he said. “And I think that’ll help garner a lot more support for the effort.”

Minnesota’s Amy Klobuchar, the top Democrat on the panel, said moving workers out of the capital region hurts the constituencies USDA serves. Agency officials should be nearby to meet with members of Congress, other executive branch offices and trade groups that are based in the nation’s capital, she said.

USDA says the five regional hubs were selected based on existing concentrations of USDA personnel and regional cost-of-living factors. The proposal calls for cutting 2,600 of the 4,600 USDA jobs in the District of Columbia, Maryland and Virginia.

Earlier this year, USDA had already reduced its workforce by more than 15,000 employees through voluntary retirement and a deferred retirement program.

To align with the five new regional hubs, USDA plans to eliminate or consolidate other regional offices. Under the plan, nine regional U.S. Forest Service offices will be eliminated within the next year, including the Eastern Region office in Milwaukee. The Natural Resources Conservation Service will also realign its regional structure to match the USDA hubs.

“The USDA reorganization represents a significant operational shift with potential long-term implications for how counties interact with federal programs and personnel,” said Owen Hart, a legislative director for the National Association for Counties. “While USDA has indicated that core services will continue, counties are encouraged to stay informed and engaged as these changes are implemented.”

On Friday, Rollins announced the opening of a public comment period for stakeholders to provide feedback on the reorganization plan.

“All stakeholders — including Capitol Hill offices, USDA employees, and members of the agricultural community — are encouraged to share their input during the open comment period. We value your perspective as we work to ensure that USDA is best positioned to serve America’s farmers, ranchers, producers, and rural communities,” Rollins said in a news release.

Feedback can be provided by emailing reorganization@usda.gov. The comment period is open through Aug. 26.

Rollins’ July 24 memorandum can be found at https://www.usda.gov/sites/default/files/documents/sm-1078-015.pdf?utm_medium=email&utm_source=govdelivery.

— The Daily News