Ricketts, Fischer Champion Relocating USDA to Nebraska

Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins announced the intention to relocate a number of USDA (U.S. Department of Agriculture) jobs from Washington D.C. to other parts of the country. This announcement came at a congressional hearing on Tuesday, May 6, 2025.Rollins said, “This is a customer service oriented agency. And why do we have so many people in Washington, D.C.? And then you bring the forest part into that and then the nutrition into that and it just doesn’t make as much sense.” The secretary did not provide details as to which job would be moving or where but both U.S. Senators representing Nebraska, Deb Fischer and Pete Ricketts, have suggested the Cornhusker State would be the ideal location for some of those jobs. Deb Fischer is a member of the Senate Agriculture Committee. At the hearing, she said, “I share your desire to realign and re-prioritize resources across USDA, to put our ranchers and our farmers first.”“This is especially important for USDA Agricultural Research Service to ensure that we are funding innovative and high impact research that benefits our farmers and ranchers. I've been working to secure funding for an ARS (Agricultural Research Service) facility that's focused on innovative precision agriculture research that is co located at the University of Nebraska Lincoln,” said Fischer. “I know Nebraska would be a great location to relocate parts of USDA like the Ag Research Service, giving our proximity to a number of strong land grant institutions, lower cost of living and strong existing relationship with the agency at the facilities I mentioned beforehand.” Rollins said she did not have details available at that time, “We are very close. I'll say, in the coming weeks, you will hear a lot more about these plans.” Senator Fischer also talked about budget cuts to ARS, “In Nebraska, we are also so proud of the work that's being done at USDA Meat Animal research center at Clay Center, that is a strong relationship that the STEM Center has with our livestock producers in the state. Last month, both Nebraska Cattlemen and Nebraska Pork Producers talked to me about how they valued the research that's being done there.”Rollins explained, “A quick note on ARS, while we are decreasing the budget, it’s $2.1 billion currently under the President’s budget. From Friday, it goes down to $1.9 billion. That’s about a seven and a half percent decrease, and that’s really focused on just some facilities that are way behind on repair and just out of date and not meeting the mark.” Rollins added, “Obviously not yours in Nebraska.” In a press conference held after the hearing, Senator Ricketts was asked his thoughts on moving those jobs to Nebraska. He responded, “I would certainly work with Senator Fischer and anybody else who wants to work to be able to get those services closer to the people who are using them. Certainly, anything is possible today in this age of remote work.” Ricketts said, “I think it would be totally possible to have offices in Nebraska, and we’re certainly willing to work with Senator Fischer, or Secretary Rollins, or anybody else to get that done.”

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