1、 https:/crsreports.congress.gov Updated August 13, 2019Proposed Relocation/Realignment of USDAs ERS and NIFABackground As part of the proposed reorganization of the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), Secretary Perdue announced in August 2018 the departments intention to relocate the Economic Res
2、earch Service (ERS) and the National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) outside the Washington, DC, metropolitan area. He also proposed realigning ERS from the Office of the Undersecretary for Research, Education, and Economics (REE) to the Office of the Chief Economist. Among the stated reaso
3、ns for the agency relocations are (1) improving USDAs ability to attract and retain qualified staff without the burden of the high cost of living; (2) placing USDA resources closer to the many agricultural stakeholders who live and work outside the Washington, DC, area; and (3) creating departmental
4、 savings on high employment costs and rent. In a subsequent Federal Register notice, USDA invited interested parties to make proposals for siting the relocated headquarters of ERS and NIFA. In October 2018, USDA announced that it had received 136 expressions of interest in 35 states. In early May, t
