WASHINGTON, DC – Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins says USDA is moving ahead with its planned reorganization, arguing the department should place more personnel and operations closer to rural communities.
Rollins says the effort remains a priority and is intended to take USDA closer to farmers, ranchers and other constituencies, including shifting more Forest Service presence toward western states.
She told reporters the department is proceeding at full speed with the reorganization and said USDA believes in the plan more strongly now than when it was first announced.
The call did not include new details on specific office moves, staffing levels, timelines or how individual agencies would be affected. USDA officials said the focus of the conference call was fertilizer rather than the reorganization.
Rollins says the department will continue pursuing the changes while carrying out other priorities involving fertilizer, farm programs, nutrition and agricultural markets.
Farm-Level Takeaway: USDA says its reorganization remains on track, but producers are still waiting for more detail on where personnel and services will move.