Internal USDA documents filed in court show the department expects a “significant number” of employees to refuse relocation, a key basis for unions’ bid to halt the reorganization.
The plaintiffs say USDA is using those departures to meet downsizing targets despite public assurances the moves were not meant as a large-scale workforce reduction, and they want a judge in San Francisco to stop further notices and removals.
USDA’s April 2025 restructuring plan targeted a 23% overall workforce cut — 31% excluding public safety and inspection staff — with some agencies facing deeper reductions, including 46% at Food and Nutrition Service and 47% in Rural Development.
Union surveys suggest the attrition could be severe: about 80% of SNAP and WIC employees and 75% of USDA researchers said they would not relocate, echoing losses after the department’s 2019 Kansas City move.
The legal fight turns on whether USDA can proceed without Congress after lawmakers barred the agency from using FY2026 funds for relocations or reorganizations without approval, even as the Supreme Court broadly backed federal workforce cuts last year.
Why does the USDA's efficiency plan project losing nearly one-third of its entire workforce?
With thousands of experts poised to quit, who will manage America's food safety and farm support?
Federal Court Orders USDA to Reinstate $127 Million in Grants, Halting Sweeping Staff Cuts and Restructuring
Overview
A recent federal court ruling in Washington D.C. granted a preliminary injunction that restored $127 million in canceled USDA grants, requiring the department to reinstate funding by July 3, 2026. This decision allows affected programs, including two Iowa farming nonprofits, to continue their work after the USDA had previously terminated 49 out of 50 programs, citing a shift in priorities. The lawsuit challenges these terminations and broader USDA reorganization plans, highlighting concerns from nonprofits and labor unions about the legality and impact of the department’s workforce reductions and restructuring. The outcome will shape the future of federal agricultural support and agency management.