{"id":2649186,"date":"2026-08-25T07:45:02","date_gmt":"2026-08-25T11:45:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/utm_sourcerssutm_mediumrssutm_campaignexclusive-usda-bureaucrats-bemoan-move-to-red-states-in-person-work-to-run-food-welfare-programs\/"},"modified":"2026-08-25T09:11:53","modified_gmt":"2026-08-25T13:11:53","slug":"utm_sourcerssutm_mediumrssutm_campaignexclusive-usda-bureaucrats-bemoan-move-to-red-states-in-person-work-to-run-food-welfare-programs","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/utm_sourcerssutm_mediumrssutm_campaignexclusive-usda-bureaucrats-bemoan-move-to-red-states-in-person-work-to-run-food-welfare-programs\/","title":{"rendered":"USDA Bureaucrats Bemoan Relocation, Return To In-Person Work"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"&quot;\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">16<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Futm_sourcerssutm_mediumrssutm_campaignexclusive-usda-bureaucrats-bemoan-move-to-red-states-in-person-work-to-run-food-welfare-programs%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=2649186&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><p>Washington, D.C.-based government employees involved in administering <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/biden-issues-veto-threats-on-gop-backed-spending-bills\/\" title=\"Biden threatens veto on GOP spending bills.\">food stamp programs<\/a> expressed dissatisfaction wiht the USDA\u2019s recent relocation and reorganization efforts during a private online town hall. The USDA announced plans to shift management of programs like SNAP to various regional hubs across the U.S., including Indianapolis, Dallas, and Kansas City, claiming these moves would better serve states and taxpayers by bringing services closer to communities. However, staff comments revealed widespread opposition, with many criticizing the locations chosen-particularly red states like Texas-due to perceived restrictive laws, such as Texas\u2019 strong pro-life policies. Employees also challenged the rationale for relocating staff from D.C., arguing it would hinder service delivery and increase costs. Additionally, there was opposition to policies returning federal employees to in-person work, citing existing contracts that guarantee remote work options. Many staff members indicated that the relocation might lead to resignations, as most could not or would not move, effectively amounting to a workforce reduction.These <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/us-considers-rejecting-french-ambassador-appointment\/\" title=\"US considers rejecting French ambassador appointment\">tensions reflect broader disagreements<\/a> over the USDA&#8217;s restructuring,which is subject to a lawsuit.  <\/p>\n<p class=\"readmore\">\n    <button onclick=\"showReadMore()\" id=\"readmorebtn\">Read more&#8230;<\/button>\n<\/p>\n<hr id=\"line\">\n<span id=\"more\"><\/p>\n<div>\n<p>Washington, D.C.-based bureaucrats lamented returning to in-person work and being transferred to various states to administer the nation\u2019s food stamp programs, according to government communications shared with The Federalist. The batch of messages even documents one employee complaining about moving to red states like Texas due to their pro-life laws. <\/p>\n<p>\u201cWashington bureaucrats are eager to work from home, as long as home isn\u2019t a red state where the people they serve live,\u201d Foundation for Government Accountability (FGA) Data Investigator Amelia Kuntzman told The Federalist. <\/p>\n<p>Obtained by FGA via open records request, the communications detail an online May 1 town hall among Department of Agriculture (USDA) employees involved in administering food stamps and other food welfare programs. According to FGA, the meeting was closed to the public and press.<\/p>\n<p>The town hall was held to solicit employee feedback on the USDA\u2019s April 30 <a href=\"https:\/\/www.usda.gov\/about-usda\/news\/press-releases\/2026\/04\/30\/usda-announces-actions-better-serve-states-nutrition-program-recipients-and-american-taxpayer\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">\u201creorganization and relocation\u201d announcement<\/a> that \u201cprogram leadership and staff from Washington, D.C.\u201d would be moved \u201cto hub and program compliance locations across the U.S.\u201d The agency touted the actions as an effort to \u201crealign the Department\u2019s focus to the States who administer USDA nutrition programs, the households who benefit from them, and the taxpayers who fund them.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cOn my first day leading the People\u2019s Department, I shared several commitments to our state, tribal, territory, and local government partners, including prioritizing customer service and infusing each nutrition program with new energy and vision. This reorganization is designed with those commitments in mind,\u201d Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins <a href=\"https:\/\/www.usda.gov\/about-usda\/news\/press-releases\/2026\/04\/30\/usda-announces-actions-better-serve-states-nutrition-program-recipients-and-american-taxpayer\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">said<\/a> at the time. <\/p>\n<p>Among the major moves are shifting management of the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) to Indianapolis, Indiana;\u00a0the Child Nutrition Programs to Dallas, Texas; and the Supplemental Nutrition and Safety Programs to Kansas City, Missouri. Other notable hub and office locations named in the plan include Raleigh, North Carolina; Denver, Colorado; Atlanta, Georgia; Los Angeles, California; and New York, New York.<\/p>\n<p>During the online May 1 town hall with USDA leadership, several bureaucrats tasked with administering the aforementioned programs issued numerous messages in the meeting\u2019s chat box expressing their dissatisfaction with the shift. These include remarks showcasing their apparent disdain for red states and their policies.<\/p>\n<p>One employee is shown questioning how USDA \u201clanded on\u201d Dallas as the location of its Child Nutrition programs. In asserting that \u201ca good chunk of CN are women,\u201d the employee then expressed \u201cconcerns on whether we were considered\u201d due to Texas\u2019 supposedly \u201cstrict reproductive health laws.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>According to the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.frc.org\/prolifemaps#gsc.tab=0\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Family Research Council<\/a>, Texas law protects unborn life in all stages of pregnancy, with the sole exception being in instances in which the mother\u2019s life is endangered. The U.S. Supreme Court recognized lawmakers\u2019 ability to pass laws governing abortion in its 2022 <em>Dobbs<\/em> decision. <\/p>\n<p>Another bureaucrat issued a message questioning the \u201cbenefit\u201d of moving the programs\u2019 employees out of the D.C. beltway and into the states and closer \u201cto those we serve.\u201d <\/p>\n<p>\u201cCan you explain the justification of moving us closer to those we serve, when these food assistance programs serve people in all states and territories? Why would Indy or Dallas or any of these other places be a benefit based on this pushed theme?\u201d the employee asked. <\/p>\n<p>\u201cThis move does the exact opposite of putting the services closer to the people. We are closing regional offices and placing us further away from the people around the country,\u201d another employee complained. <\/p>\n<p>\u201cLet\u2019s discuss the false narrative of brining [sic] us closer to those we serve,\u201d another message reads.<\/p>\n<p>Meanwhile, other comments show bureaucrats lamenting the Trump administration\u2019s efforts to return the federal workforce to in-person office work. <\/p>\n<p>In seemingly expressing opposition to the USDA policy, one employee claimed that an existing union contract and their individual hiring contracts guarantee them a \u201cright to remote work.\u201d <\/p>\n<p>\u201c[M]any of us were hired into remote positions, so being forced to go into an office 5 days a week is both a violation of our [National Treasury Employees Union] NTEU contract AND our employment contracts,\u201d the message reads. <\/p>\n<p>\u201cThis is 21 centuries [sic], we can absolutely with no issue work remotely. Why all these relocation? Are we going back in time? this is both the most cost-effective option for taxpayers and more convenient for staff, meaning best for continuation of programs. a return to remote work would be a win-win!\u201d another user wrote.<\/p>\n<p>Others claimed that the USDA relocation effort amounted to a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.opm.gov\/policy-data-oversight\/workforce-restructuring\/reductions-in-force-rif\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Reduction in Force (RIF)<\/a> \u201cbecause 99% of us can\u2019t relocate.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThis is effectively a RIF because 99% of us can\u2019t relocate \u2014 but you know that,\u201d another message reads.<\/p>\n<p>One employee claimed that the agency\u2019s move takes an \u201cintegrated \u2026 finely tuned organization, and made it into a siloed organization.\u201d It\u2019s worth noting that the USDA\u2019s SNAP program <a href=\"https:\/\/www.usda.gov\/about-usda\/news\/press-releases\/2026\/06\/24\/usda-announces-fy-2025-state-payment-error-rates-snap\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">reported<\/a> a national payment error rate of 10.62 percent for fiscal year 2025 ($10.1 billion) in June \u2014 the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.fna.usda.gov\/snap\/qc\/per\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">fourth straight year<\/a> it\u2019s exceeded 10 percent. <\/p>\n<p>\u201cWhatever is being finely tuned, it is not the payments,\u201d Kuntzman told The Federalist. <\/p>\n<p>The USDA <a href=\"https:\/\/federalnewsnetwork.com\/workforce\/2026\/07\/usda-expects-significant-number-of-staff-facing-relocation-to-leave-their-jobs\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">reportedly<\/a> disclosed last month that it expects a \u201csignificant number\u201d of employees to forgo relocation and instead resign their jobs. The agency is currently <a href=\"https:\/\/www.govexec.com\/management\/2026\/07\/unions-sue-block-usda-reorganization-arguing-its-rif-disguise\/414635\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">facing a lawsuit<\/a> over the contested policy in federal court. <\/p>\n<hr>\n<p>      Shawn Fleetwood is a staff writer for The Federalist and a graduate of the University of Mary Washington. He is a co-recipient of the 2025 Dao Prize for Excellence in Investigative Journalism. His work has been featured in numerous outlets, including RealClearPolitics and RealClearHealth. Follow him on Twitter @ShawnFleetwood<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Washington bureaucrats oppose relocating to red states, citing policies<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":539,"featured_media":2649187,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/thefederalist.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/WIC-program.jpg","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[33651],"tags":[47419,84610,46978,19013,13897],"class_list":["post-2649186","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-the-western-journal","tag-government-bureaucracy","tag-office-relocation","tag-remote-work","tag-usda","tag-workplace"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/thefederalist.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/WIC-program.jpg","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2649186","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/539"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2649186"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2649186\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2649231,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2649186\/revisions\/2649231"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2649187"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2649186"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2649186"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2649186"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}