(Washington, D.C., Oct. 22, 2018) – U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue today announced that the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has received 136 expressions of interest from parties in 35 states interested in becoming the new homes of the Economic Research Service (ERS) and the National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA). In August, Perdue announced that most ERS and NIFA personnel would be moving to outside the National Capital Region by the end of 2019 and invited interested parties to submit proposals, with a deadline which had been extended to Oct. 15, 2018. USDA intends to select the new location or locations by January 2019 and will retain a consultant with expertise in relocations.
“The interest from across the country has been overwhelming as localities, universities, private entities, and elected officials realize the potential for their communities in become the new home for these two agencies,” Perdue said. “It is an old saying that not all wisdom resides in Washington, D.C., but it is gratifying to see so many folks step forward wanting to prove that to be the case. We look forward to working with Ernst & Young in examining all of the proposals and selecting the new locations.” States represented in the expressions of interest are: Alabama, Arkansas, Arizona, California, Colorado, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Louisiana, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Montana, North Carolina, North Dakota, Nebraska, New York, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Virginia, Washington, Wisconsin, West Virginia and Wyoming.
The entities expressing interest in hosting ERS and NIFA include educational institutions, nonprofit organizations, state development agencies, county development agencies, municipalities, and for-profit entities. USDA has also received letters of support from a number of governors, members of Congress, farm-related organizations, and state and local officials. It is possible that ERS and NIFA will be co-located when their new homes are found. A yet-to-be-determined amount of staff from the two agencies will remain in the National Capital Region.
USDA is undertaking the relocations for a variety of reasons. The move will place important USDA resources closer to many stakeholders, most of whom live and work far from the Washington, D.C. area. Additionally, taxpayers will realize significant savings on employment costs and rent, which will allow more employees to be retained in the long run, even in the face of tightening budgets. Finally, the plan will improve USDA’s ability to attract and retain highly qualified staff with training and interests in agriculture, many of whom come from land-grant universities.
Under the plan, no ERS or NIFA employees will be involuntarily separated. Every employee who wants to continue working will have an opportunity to do so, although that will mean moving to a new location for most. Employees will be offered relocation assistance and will receive the same base pay as before, and the locality pay for the new location. For those who are interested, USDA is seeking approval from the Office of Personnel Management and the Office of Management and Budget for both Voluntary Early Retirement Authority and Voluntary Separation Incentive Payments.
Perdue also noted that 91 percent of USDA’s approximately 108,000 employees currently work outside of the Washington, D.C. region.
As part of the changes, ERS will be aligned with the Office of the Chief Economist under the Office of the Secretary. This represents a return to its previous positioning when ERS was aligned under the Assistant Secretary for Economics within the Office of the Secretary.
Perdue previously announced other significant reorganizations at USDA. In May 2017, USDA created the first-ever Undersecretary for Trade and Foreign Agricultural Affairs and reconstituted and renamed the new Farm Production and Conservation mission area, among other realignments. In addition, in September 2017, Perdue realigned a number of offices to improve customer service and maximize efficiency. Those actions involved innovation, consolidation, and the rearrangement of certain offices into more logical organizational reporting structures.
136 Expressions of Interest State Location Applicant(s) AL Birmingham City of Birmingham; University of Alabama at Birmingham; Auburn University; Tuskegee University; Alabama A&M University; Economic Development Association of Alabama AL Auburn University Auburn Research and Technology Foundation/Auburn University AL Shelby County City of Hoover, Shelby County, 58 INC. – the nonprofit economic coalition of Shelby County, the Birmingham Business Alliance, Alabama Power Company, Harbert Realty Services, and Select Income REIT / RMR Group AR Arkansas Arkansas Economic Development Commission AR Jonesboro/Northeast Arkansas Coalition City of Jonesboro, Craighead County, Jonesboro Unlimited, Jonesboro Regional Chamber of Commerce, and the Northeast Arkansas Economic Development Coalition AZ Tempe Arizona Commerce Authority; Arizona State University and the Arizona Department of Agriculture AZ Tucson Arizona Commerce Authority; Sun Corridor Inc., the University of Arizona and the Arizona Department of Agriculture CA Folsom Newmark Knight Frank CA Greater Sacramento Greater Sacramento Economic Council CA Rancho Cordova Newmark Knight Frank CA Rancho Cordova Newmark Knight Frank CA Sacramento Newmark Knight Frank CA Lucerne The Lucerne Area Revitalization Association CO Denver Cottonwood Management Company CO Denver Forest City Trust CO Denver Metro Denver Economic Development Corporation CO Aurora Aurora Economic Development Council DE Newark University of Delaware FL City of Newberry City of Newberry GA Tifton County Tifton County Development Authority and Georgia Department of Economic Development GA Griffin Spalding County Griffin-Spalding Development Authority, Rooker, UGA and Georgia Department of Economic Development GA Athens-Clarke County Athens-Clarke County Development Authority and Nichols Land & Investment Company and Georgia Department of Economic Development GA Statesboro-Bulloch County Development Authority of Bulloch County and Georgia Department of Economic Development IA Ankeny City of Ankeny/ Greater Des Moines Partnership, Cultivation Corridor, and the Iowa Economic Development Authority IA West Des Moines City of West Des Moines IA Ames City of Ames and Iowa State University IA Council Bluffs Advance Southwest Iowa Corporation; City of Council Bluffs, Pottawattamie County IA Des Moines City of Des Moines; Greater Des Moines Partnership IA and IL Quad Cities Quad Cities Chamber of Commerce IL Algonquin Village of Algonquin IL Greater Peoria Greater Peoria Economic Development Council IL Peoria Maloof Commercial Real Estate IL Warrenville NAI Hiffman IL Schaumburg Village of Schaumburg IL DuPage County economic development agency for DuPage County, Illinois IL Kane County Kane County IL Decatur Economic Development Corp. of Decatur & Macon County IL Orland Park Orland Park, State of Illinois, Will County, Illinois Intersect and the Will County Center for Economic Development IL Huntley Village of Huntley IL Des Plaines City of Des Plaines IL Champaign Champaign County Economic Development Corporation, the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Parkland College, the University of Illinois Research Park, LLC, and Champaign and Urbana.
IL Barrington Village of Barrington; Bourns Inc IN Multiple Indiana Economic Development Corporation; AgriNovus Indiana, the Indiana State Department of Agriculture (ISDA) and Purdue University IN Evansville Hahn Kiefer Real Estate Services KS Wichita The Greater Wichita Partnership KS Salina Salina Community Economic Development Organization in cooperation with the City of Salina, Saline County, the Salina Area Chamber of Commerce, Salina Airport Authority and numerous private sector developers/realtors along with representatives from the Kansas State Polytechnic Campus, Kansas Wesleyan University and Salina Area Technical College.
KS Salina Salina Community Economic Development Organization KS Manhattan Knowledge Based Economic Development, LLC/university and community economic development partnership KS Lawrence Lawrence Chamber & Economic Development Corporation, the City of Lawrence, Douglas County, and the Bioscience & Technology Business Center (BTBC), has combined efforts with the University of Kansas and the KU Endowment Association KS and MO Greater Kansas City Region The Kansas City Area Development Council LA Baton Rouge The Baton Rouge Area Chamber (BRAC), along with partners Louisiana Economic Development (LED), Baton Rouge Area Foundation(BRAF), Louisiana Department of Agriculture & Forestry (LDAF), Louisiana State University (LSU), and Southern University and & Mechanical College (SUAM) Agricultural MD Salisbury Wicomico Economic Development MD Montgomery County Montgomery County Economic Development Corporation MD Hanover Tritower Financial Group MD Somerset County Somerset County Economic Development Commission MD Frederick County Frederick County Office of Economic Development MD Laurel Newtower Trust Company MD Centreville town of Centerville; Emory Properties MD Caroline County Caroline County MD Queen Anne KRM Development Corp, Queen Anne County Economic Development MD Kent County KRM Development Corp, Kent County Economic Development MD College Park University of Maryland College Park MD Baltimore Cushmanwakefield MD Charles County Charles County Economic Development Department MI East Lansing Michigan State University, State of Michigan, Capital Region International Airport (LAN), Greater Lansing Convention and Visitors Bureau, Lansing Economic Area Partnership (LEAP), Lansing Regional Chamber of Commerce, Michigan Economic Development Corporation and Michigan Farm Bureau MN Shakopee The Opus Group MN Minneapolis University of Minnesota, Minneapolis Saint Paul Regional Economic Development Partnership (GREATER MSP), and the Minnesota Food and Agriculture Initiative MN Falcon Heights Buhl Investors MO Springfield Springfield Area Chamber of Commerce MO Kansas City HPI Group MO KANSAS CITY 805 Penn MO St. Louis A consortium of regional leaders across six counties in Missouri and Illinois; State of Missouri and Missouri’s Departments of Agriculture, Economic Development, and Workforce Development, as well as the Missouri Partnership MO Multiple State of Missouri; Missouri Partnership MO St Joseph St Joseph Economic Development Partnership MT Missoula Missoula Economic Partnership MT Bozeman The Montana State University Innovation Campus MT Billings Big Sky Economic Development;WC Commercial, LLC NC Greensboro-High Point Guilford County Economic Development Alliance NC Kannapolis The North Carolina Research Campus; the city of Kannapolis, Cabarrus and Rowan Counties, and the state of North Carolina NC Research Triangle Region Wake County, Durham County and Research Triangle Park NC Chapel Hill State Employee Credit Union ND Fargo Greater Fargo Moorhead Economic Development Corporation, the ND Department of Commerce, Fargo Moorhead West Fargo Chamber of Commerce,Bank of North Dakota, City of Fargo, NDSU NE Omaha SPW Partners G and S and CBRE MEGA NE Sidney City of Sidney and Cheyenne County, Nebraska Economic Development Partnership NE Lincoln The Nebraska consortium, led by Governor Pete Ricketts and former USDA Secretary Mike Johanns and including the State of Nebraska, University of Nebraska system, City of Lincoln, Nebraska Innovation Campus Development Corporation, Nebraska Department of Economic Development, Nebraska Department of Agriculture, Nebraska Chamber of Commerce, Lincoln Chamber of Commerce, Omaha Chamber of Commerce, and public and private business and NY Greater Rochester FLX Food and Beverage Consortium is led by Greater Rochester Enterprise, a not-for-profit economic development organization. Members of the Consortium include Cornell University and the Cornell University College of Agriculture and Life Sciences; the Cornell Agriculture and Technology Farm; Empire State Development; the New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets; the New York State Governor’s Office; Rochester Institute of Technology; Tompkins County Area Development; the University of Rochester; and Wegmans Food Markets Inc.
OH Akron County of Summit OH Ashtabula County Growth Partnership for Ashtabula County OH Darke County Darke County Commissioners OH Geauga County Geauga County Department of Development OH Madison Village Administrator Madison Village OH Middlefield Village Village of Middlefield OH Portage County Portage Development Board OH Twinsburg City of Twinsburg OH Warren Cafaro Company OH Youngstown Western Reserve Port Authority; City of Waren and Howland Township OK Pawnee County Pawnee County Economic Development Foundation OK Stillwater Stillwater Chamber of Commerce partnered with Oklahoma State University, Langston University, and the Oklahoma Department of Commerce OK Tulsa GEORGE KAISER FAMILY FOUNDATION PA Fayette County County Commissioner PA Hanover Township Private Citizen PA Clarion Clarion Trinity Development Co PA Clarion Miles Brothers SC Columbia State of South Carolina (including; South Carolina Department of Commerce, Clemson University, South Carolina Department of Agriculture, and Richland County’s Economic Development Office) SD Brookings City of Brookings; Brookings Economic Development Corporation SD Sioux Falls Sioux Falls Development Foundation; South Dakota Governor’s Office of Economic Development City of Sioux Falls TN Knoxville University of Tennessee, Knoxville/University of Tennessee Institute of Agriculture (UTK/UTIA); University of Tennessee, Martin (UTM); Tennessee State University (TSU); and Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) TN Memphis Agricenter International TX Dallas HPI Group TX College Station Texas A&M AgriLife Research TX Amarillo/Lubbock Amarillo Economic Development Corporation; Lubbock Economic Development Alliance TX San Marcos Greater San Marcos Partnership; San Marcos, Hays County and Texas State University UT Tooele County Governor’s Office of Economic Development, Tooele County, Tooele City, Utah State University, and the Economic Development Corporation of Utah VA Spotsylvania County County of Spotsylvania VA Caroline County Caroline County Department of Economic Development VA Charlottesville University of Virginia Foundation VA Greene County County of Greene; Central Virginia Partnership in Economic Development; Virginia Economic Development Partnership; Fried Companies, Inc; Jones Lang LaSalle VA Loudoun County Loudoun County, Virginia Economic Development VA Prince William Prince William County Department of Economic Development VA Richmond The Riverstone Group, LLC VA Richmond Thompson VA Petersburg Virginia State University and the Petersburg metropolitan region VA Stafford County Stafford County Department of Economic Development & Tourism VA Danville City of Danville VA Winchester City of Winchester VA Fredericksburg City Of Fredricksburg VA Spotsylvania County The Vakos Companies VA Bristol Washington County; One Alpha Place, LLC; Callebs Commercial Realty and Jones Lang LaSalle VA Madison County Madison County; The Lester Group VA Spotsylvania Gutierrez VA Fredericksburg The Cafaro Company WA Tri-Cities Tri-Cities WI Madison City of Madison, the University of Wisconsin–Madison College of Agricultural & Life Sciences (CALS), University of Wisconsin–Madison Office of University Relations, University Research Park, State of Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection, and 910 Mayer, LLC WV Fairmont High Technology Foundation WV Harrison County Harrison County Economic Development Corporation WY Cheyenne/Laramie Cheyenne, Laramie and University of Wyoming # USDA is an equal opportunity provider, employer and lender.
Source: U.S. Department of Agriculture
