A House subcommittee this week held a hearing on the relocation proposals for two U.S. Department of Agriculture offices, the Economic Research Service and National Institute of Food and Agriculture. None of the Agriculture groups have come out in favor of the move advocated by Ag Secretary Sonny Perdue. National Farmers Union opposes the move and President Roger Johnson says the proposal is already damaging the industry as experienced researchers are looking for new jobs.
He says the two major parties are opposing each other on the relocation proposal.
Johnson says the only groups in favor of moving those offices are those in the areas that are listed as finalists for the agencies, those being the Kansas City Metro Area, Indiana and North Carolina.
House Agriculture Committee Chairman Mike Conaway says there is nothing that prevents USDA’s mission from extending outside of the beltway. He called this subcommittee hearing a distraction that fails to focus on the pressing issues facing agriculture today, such as farm income, weather and trade.
