As part of the overhaul, the FNA, formerly the Food and Nutrition Service, will now oversee 16 nutrition assistance programs.
The move will shift program leadership and staff from the nation’s capital to a handful of locations across the United States.
“As part of this effort, the FNA Administrator will remain in Washington, D.C., along with a small footprint to be responsive to Congress, interagency needs, regulatory work, and policy coordination,” states a USDA press release on April 30.
“On my first day leading the People’s 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,” said Secretary Brooke Rollins.
“This reorganization is designed with those commitments in mind. I look forward to working with our partners as we continue to nourish children and families in need through nutrition programs that not only are provided by America’s farm families, but programs that pave a pathway to better health and economic stability.”
Under the move, the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) will relocate to Indianapolis, Indiana.
Meanwhile, Child Nutrition Programs will move to Dallas, Texas. Supplemental Nutrition and Safety Programs will be based in Kansas City, Missouri, and research programs will move to Raleigh, North Carolina.
A fifth location in Denver, Colorado, will serve as the Emergency Management and Continuity of Operations location.
Retailer operations and compliance functions will be split among Atlanta, Los Angeles, Dallas, and New York, according to the press release.
USDA Deputy Secretary Stephen Vaden said the reorganization is long overdue. “The Food, Nutrition, and Consumer Services mission area has not had a Senate-confirmed Under Secretary in nearly two decades, and the shift to the Food and Nutrition Administration will better align with other benefit programs administered across the federal government,” he said.
“This reorganization also reduces duplicative management and complexity within the agency, better prioritizes State service and participant needs, and expands the Department’s presence to fight fraud, waste, and abuse,” Vaden stated.
Patrick Penn, Deputy Under Secretary, said the agency is shifting away from its current regional office model as part of a broader restructuring into centralized “hubs” designed to improve service delivery.
“This new structure will enhance our customer service to the millions of families reliant on these programs and allow for greater employee and partner collaboration,” Penn said.
The USDA said the restructuring is intended to “realign the Department’s focus to the States who administer USDA nutrition programs, the households who benefit from them, and the taxpayers who fund them.”
The agency said employees whose positions are moved will be given options that may include transferring to another local office within their commuting area, relocating to Salt Lake City or Fort Collins, or moving to a newly established service center. The Forest Service said that employees could pursue other roles within the agency or the federal government, or consider retirement or other forms of separation.