The Trump administration plans to push thousands of U.S. Agriculture Department workers out of the Washington, D.C., region by forcing them to relocate to far-away offices if they want to keep their jobs.
Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins announced the plan in a press release Thursday, with her office claiming the move would “better align” the agency “with its founding mission of supporting American farming, ranching, and forestry.”
Rollins said the department employs around 4,600 workers in the D.C. area, but by the time the transition is over, it plans to have “no more than 2,000” left in and around the nation’s capital. It also expects to close most of its buildings in the area, including a major research center.
The D.C.-area employees would be transferred to “hub” locations in Raleigh, North Carolina; Kansas City, Missouri; Indianapolis, Indiana; Fort Collins, Colorado and Salt Lake City, Utah, the agency said.
Rollins acknowledged the move would create “personal disruption for you and your families,” in a video directed at agency employees.
“This decision was not entered into lightly,” she said.
Everett Kelley, president of the American Federation of Government Employees, a union representing USDA workers, told HuffPost in a statement that the move would damage the agency. He noted that, despite common misperceptions, 85% of federal employees already live outside the Washington, D.C., region.
“But D.C. is the center of our nation’s government for a reason, as it facilitates needed coordination between senior leadership and field offices and ensures agencies are at the seat of the table when decisions are made at the White House and in Congress,” Kelley said.
Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins speaks during a news conference at the USDA headquarters building in Washington, D.C., on July 14, 2025.
