Raleigh named 1 of 5 regional USDA hubs. What that means for NC.
AI-generated summary reviewed by our newsroom.
- USDA will relocate over half of its D.C. staff to five national hubs including Raleigh.
- Raleigh was selected for its existing USDA offices and lower cost of living.
- At least six USDA offices already operate in Raleigh, supporting expanded staffing.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture is moving over half its Washington, D.C., staff to one of five hubs it’s setting up across the country, including in Raleigh, U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins announced Thursday.
“We are certainly tickled to be selected as a regional hub,” N.C. Commissioner of Agriculture Steve Troxler said, welcoming the move.
Agricultural production and needs differ across the country, Troxler said. His building already houses National Agricultural Statistics Service offices, he noted, and having more USDA staff in North Carolina will only further benefit the state’s $111 billion agricultural uindustry.
Why Raleigh?
The selection of Raleigh, along with Fort Collins, Colorado; Indianapolis, Indiana; Salt Lake City, Utah; and Kansas City, Missouri; “takes into consideration existing concentrations of USDA employees and the cost of living for USDA employees,” Rollins wrote.
President Donald Trump promised during his campaign to move 100,000 federal workers out of Washington. The USDA has 4,600 employees in the nation’s capital. Rollins wrote the agency will aim to have no more than 2,000 there.
In the memo, Rollins cited Washington’s high cost of living and the need to “ensure USDA is located closer to the people it serves while achieving savings to the American taxpayer.”
The USDA will also close its Agricultural Research Service area offices, Rollins wrote. The Office of National Programs will take on any remaining functions.
It is unclear how this may affect Raleigh’s ARS office, which includes three units: Food Science and Market Quality and Handling Research, Plant Science Research and Soybean and Nitrogen Fixation Research.
The USDA will also continue cutting its workforce through voluntary retirements, Rollins wrote. Over 15,000 employees have entered deferred resignation.
A USDA spokesperson said Thursday’s announcement “was a first step.” The USDA did not respond to questions from The News & Observer about how many employees will move to Raleigh, which departments will move or how a hub will differ from the existing USDA offices in Raleigh.
“Some aspects of the reorganization will be implemented over the coming months, while other aspects will take more time to implement,” the spokesperson said.
This story was originally published July 28, 2025 at 3:30 PM.