Dear USDA Family:
By now you may have heard about proposals from the Office of Management and Budget to make changes to the federal government’s organization in order to provide better services to all citizens. As you know, it has been my mission to ensure that USDA is the most effective, most efficient, and most customer-focused department in government, so I welcome a discussion of what we can all do better.
It is understandable if news of this nature is unsettling, but it is our intention to provide as much information as possible today and answer as many questions as we can. Undertaking such a reorganization of major functions of the federal government is a significant task, and one that will require substantial Congressional involvement. This is not something that will happen overnight, and these ideas should be viewed as the beginning of a long conversation. We will advocate for those changes that make sense, and we will have a dialogue about areas where we feel USDA has the core competencies to most effectively deliver services.
Naturally, there are some questions about what this means for USDA. The announced proposals do not contemplate the elimination of any positions. And importantly, you should know that the possible rearrangement of federal functions in no way reflects a judgment on the way you do your jobs. I am firm in my belief that USDA has the best workforce in the federal government, a sentiment I share with my colleagues in the Cabinet frequently.
That said, these are the points of the reorganization proposal that would impact us here at USDA:
We are a family here at USDA and we care about each other and the citizens who depend on us. Regardless of what forms our service to our customers take today, or in the future, I know that you will join me in fulfilling our motto to “Do right and feed everyone.”
Sonny Perdue
Secretary
By now you may have heard about proposals from the Office of Management and Budget to make changes to the federal government’s organization in order to provide better services to all citizens. As you know, it has been my mission to ensure that USDA is the most effective, most efficient, and most customer-focused department in government, so I welcome a discussion of what we can all do better.
It is understandable if news of this nature is unsettling, but it is our intention to provide as much information as possible today and answer as many questions as we can. Undertaking such a reorganization of major functions of the federal government is a significant task, and one that will require substantial Congressional involvement. This is not something that will happen overnight, and these ideas should be viewed as the beginning of a long conversation. We will advocate for those changes that make sense, and we will have a dialogue about areas where we feel USDA has the core competencies to most effectively deliver services.
Naturally, there are some questions about what this means for USDA. The announced proposals do not contemplate the elimination of any positions. And importantly, you should know that the possible rearrangement of federal functions in no way reflects a judgment on the way you do your jobs. I am firm in my belief that USDA has the best workforce in the federal government, a sentiment I share with my colleagues in the Cabinet frequently.
That said, these are the points of the reorganization proposal that would impact us here at USDA:
- Non-commodity Nutrition Assistance Programs would move from USDA to a newly-named Department of Health and Public Welfare (now known as Health and Human Services or HHS). This would better align assistance programs with how they are often managed at the state and local levels and reduce duplication of state reporting and other burdens.
- Primary federal food safety functions would be reorganized into a new Federal Food Safety Agency, to be housed within USDA. This would eliminate the fragmented approach to food safety and consolidate the responsibilities currently borne by USDA, the Food and Drug Administration, and HHS. USDA is the appropriate home for efforts to protect food safety.
- Rural housing loan guarantee and rental assistance programs would move from USDA to the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). This would align the federal government’s role in housing policy and allow both USDA and HUD to concentrate on their core missions.
- The Hazardous Materials Management program would move into the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Superfund program. This would consolidate similar programs under EPA, which has been designated as the lead agency for responding to the release of hazardous substances posing threats to public health or the environment.
- Rural business and community facility grants would move to the Bureau of Economic Growth in the Department of Commerce.
- USDA’s programs that assist businesses vital to rural communities with securing access to capital and government contract opportunities would move to the Small Business Administration.
We are a family here at USDA and we care about each other and the citizens who depend on us. Regardless of what forms our service to our customers take today, or in the future, I know that you will join me in fulfilling our motto to “Do right and feed everyone.”
Sonny Perdue
Secretary