GAO Says USDA Failed to Provide Reorganization Documentation

The Government Accountability Office says the Agriculture Department did not provide requested documentation about its nationwide reorganization, leaving Congress and the public unable to assess how the department evaluated effects on services, finances, property management, and workforce planning. The plan, announced in July 2025, includes moving employees from the Washington area to regional hubs, and USDA’s workforce fell about 20% between December 2024 and March 2026. GAO cited a previous relocation in which two USDA agencies lost more than half their staff and saw declines in staff experience and productivity, though they generally recovered within two years. Farmers have raised concerns about reduced staffing at county offices, while Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins said she had deliberated for months and dismissed the report as “partisan shenanigans.” A federal judge has blocked the department from proceeding with the reorganization while a lawsuit by federal worker unions is pending.