“A reorganization of this scale will impact USDA’s ability to provide critical services to Americans and undermine the agency’s trusted expertise that farmers and families count on,” Klobuchar said in a statement. “We must have an immediate hearing before more damage is done.”
…”that farmers and and families count on”…
What a Total Crock of Crap from Senator Amy Klobuchar! Like there’s “no love lost” between American Farmers and the USDA! That agency does more harm than good for American Farmers. They would love “to count on” less “trusted expertise” from The Government watchdogs at the USDA!
I get why folks are fed up with the USDA — for years, rural communities have felt ignored, overregulated, or just plain misunderstood by bureaucrats in D.C. But moving entire agencies out of Washington isn’t a fix — it’s a gut job.
We’ve seen this before. In 2019, the Trump administration relocated two major USDA research agencies — the Economic Research Service and the National Institute of Food and Agriculture — from D.C. to Kansas City. More than 60% of the experienced staff quit, and the result was exactly what you’d expect: longer wait times for farm loans, fewer conservation approvals, and backlogs in technical support when farmers needed it most. Some local offices even shut down or stopped answering the phone.
You try dealing with a drought, a supply chain crunch, or a planting delay — and there’s no one left to help you cut through red tape.
The system might feel broken, but tearing out the people who know how to run it won’t fix it. If we want USDA to finally listen to rural America — and actually deliver — we have to rebuild it from the inside out, not sabotage it under the banner of reform.
References:
USDA Relocations Prompt Mass Exodus of Scientists — Government Executive, July 2019
Personally, reorganization seems like a sensible thing to do. Regional appointment also seems logical with the hope that people who are closer to the people they serve would likely be more responsive. As far as employee loss because of the move— perfect, see previous point, replace with more “local” employees.
I’m sure there will be some “shrinking pains,” but if we can streamline services and monies, with less bureaucratic hoops, less hands touch monies and hopefully that would result in more efficient and fiscally responsible administration of programs. I’m all for small government.
As a teacher I see how much money gets eaten up by the bureaucratic process… pennies on the dollar make it to a classroom by the time every agency administering gets done with it.
It’s long past time to get the size and scope of the federal government downsized. The common sense is that the usda would only have the minimum number of high ranking administration officials located in Washington DC
Just wait until the a.i. takes hold, then 90% of the federal government staff will not be needed
Americans don't need the USDA. It's just one more regulatory agency amongst so many that hyper-regulate Americans and put a drag on the economy.
Some economists believe that if the USA had the same regulations as it had in the 1950s, national GDP would be $50 trillion, not the current $15 trillion. Median family income would be $150,000, not $80,000.
“A reorganization of this scale will impact USDA’s ability to provide critical services to Americans and undermine the agency’s trusted expertise that farmers and families count on,” Klobuchar said in a statement. “We must have an immediate hearing before more damage is done.”
…”that farmers and and families count on”…
What a Total Crock of Crap from Senator Amy Klobuchar! Like there’s “no love lost” between American Farmers and the USDA! That agency does more harm than good for American Farmers. They would love “to count on” less “trusted expertise” from The Government watchdogs at the USDA!
As always I very much your coverage.
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I get why folks are fed up with the USDA — for years, rural communities have felt ignored, overregulated, or just plain misunderstood by bureaucrats in D.C. But moving entire agencies out of Washington isn’t a fix — it’s a gut job.
We’ve seen this before. In 2019, the Trump administration relocated two major USDA research agencies — the Economic Research Service and the National Institute of Food and Agriculture — from D.C. to Kansas City. More than 60% of the experienced staff quit, and the result was exactly what you’d expect: longer wait times for farm loans, fewer conservation approvals, and backlogs in technical support when farmers needed it most. Some local offices even shut down or stopped answering the phone.
You try dealing with a drought, a supply chain crunch, or a planting delay — and there’s no one left to help you cut through red tape.
The system might feel broken, but tearing out the people who know how to run it won’t fix it. If we want USDA to finally listen to rural America — and actually deliver — we have to rebuild it from the inside out, not sabotage it under the banner of reform.
References:
USDA Relocations Prompt Mass Exodus of Scientists — Government Executive, July 2019
https://www.govexec.com/workforce/2019/07/usda-relocations-prompt-mass-exodus-scientists/158742/
USDA Research Agencies Lost Dozens of Staff in Move to Kansas City — Politico, August 2019
https://www.politico.com/news/2019/08/19/usda-kansas-city-staff-loss-066066
Relocation of USDA Agencies Hurt Research and Morale, GAO Report Finds — NPR, March 2022
https://www.npr.org/2022/03/23/1088189427/usda-relocation-gao-report
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Personally, reorganization seems like a sensible thing to do. Regional appointment also seems logical with the hope that people who are closer to the people they serve would likely be more responsive. As far as employee loss because of the move— perfect, see previous point, replace with more “local” employees.
I’m sure there will be some “shrinking pains,” but if we can streamline services and monies, with less bureaucratic hoops, less hands touch monies and hopefully that would result in more efficient and fiscally responsible administration of programs. I’m all for small government.
As a teacher I see how much money gets eaten up by the bureaucratic process… pennies on the dollar make it to a classroom by the time every agency administering gets done with it.
Less hands=more funds.
It’s long past time to get the size and scope of the federal government downsized. The common sense is that the usda would only have the minimum number of high ranking administration officials located in Washington DC
Just wait until the a.i. takes hold, then 90% of the federal government staff will not be needed
Americans don't need the USDA. It's just one more regulatory agency amongst so many that hyper-regulate Americans and put a drag on the economy.
Some economists believe that if the USA had the same regulations as it had in the 1950s, national GDP would be $50 trillion, not the current $15 trillion. Median family income would be $150,000, not $80,000.