Salt Lake City was named Thursday as one of five cities where federal employees who work for the U.S. Department of Agriculture will work, as the department moves most employees out of Washington, D.C.
Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins announced Thursday that the department wants to move federal employees in her department “closer to its customers.”
Besides Salt Lake City, the other cities to receive additional federal employees were Raleigh, North Carolina; Kansas City, Missouri; Indianapolis, Indiana; and Fort Collins, Colorado.
The move is part of a more general reorganization that will see the department significantly reduce its footprint in Washington, according to Rollins’ announcement.
In a post on X, Rollins said the department is “refocusing our core operations to better align with President Lincoln’s founding mission of supporting American farming, ranching, and forestry, as well as serving American taxpayers.”
The restructuring plans do not include layoffs, as 15,364 department employees chose to participate in the deferred resignation plan, Rollins said.
The department believes it will save money through the move because of the lower differentials paid to federal employees in cities like Salt Lake, compared to the cost of living in Washington.
USDA oversees federal forests
Besides overseeing the nation’s agricultural sector, USDA also oversees the Forest Service and associated federal Forest Service land.
Utah’s two senators, Sen. Mike Lee and Sen. John Curtis, reacted to the announcement on Thursday, which coincided with the state holiday, Pioneer Day.
“The people making decisions about how our forests are managed and our food is grown shouldn’t be distant bureaucrats,” Lee said. “I congratulate the Department of Agriculture for decentralizing from Washington and relocating staff to Salt Lake City and other regional hubs. Not only is this a big win for Utah’s farmers and ranchers, but also for our land managers as the department moves closer to the people who live, work, and rely upon these lands. I will continue to fight for the Utahns who raise livestock, grow the best food on Earth, and sustain our National Forests.”
Curtis also responded positively to the announcement.
“The USDA’s decision to refocus on its core mission, supporting farmers, families, and rural communities, is long overdue. Utahns are the best at advocating for and advancing American agriculture. I’m proud that the USDA has recognized that strength by choosing Utah as a hub for this renewed mission,” he said.