Home Fighting for FNS Employees

Fighting for FNS Employees

Background

As part of a major reorganization, the USDA announced that it plans to move Food and Nutrition Service employees to other areas of the country and rename the Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) to the Food and Nutrition Administration (FNA).

Part of that plan involves closing its current headquarters building in Alexandria, VA (the Braddock building) and regional offices in Chicago, Boston, Atlanta and San Francisco. These employees would be sent to various "hubs" across the country. FNS has still not provided a timeline for these employees, leaving their futures uncertain.

FNS's plans to uproot its workforce would devastate vital programs serving one in four Americans during the course of a typical year. In an internal survey, nearly 4 of 5 FNS employees indicated that they would not be able to move. The reorganization plan would cause an unprecedented "brain drain" for the FNS and the programs its dedicated employees administer and support. 

Although the USDA says the plan is part of its desire to move employees outside of the D.C. Region, 90 percent of USDA employees already work outside of the D.C. area, including many FNS employees. The plan to move FNS employees is aimed at drastically reducing its workforce.

NTEU is working with allies in Congress, fellow unions representing other impacted USDA employees, and organizations depending on the support of FNS's incredible workforce to fight this ill-conceived reorganization.

In the News

Trump’s USDA Relocation Plan Could Upend Nutrition Programs, New Republic, June 15, 2026

80% of USDA Food Assistance Workers Say They Won’t Relocate, Successful Farming, June 3, 2026

USDA relocation of food assistance employees will lead to major staffing losses, union warns, Federal News Network, May 28, 2026

Workers predict significant disruptions to food assistance programs as USDA announces more relocations, GovExec, May 1, 2026

USDA employees in food assistance programs folded into relocation plans, Federal News Network, April 30, 2026

Congressional Letters

NTEU Letter to Senate Appropriators, June 2, 2026

Senate Letter to USDA Deputy Secretary Stephen Vaden, May 19, 2026

House Letter to USDA Secretary Brooke Rollins, May 8, 2026

NTEU Member Messages

NTEU Working with Broad Coalition on Litigation to Stop the USDA Reorganization, June 4, 2026

FNS to Close Offices, April 30, 2026

What You Can Do

1. Join NTEU if you aren't already a member and urge your colleagues to join. There is power in numbers!

2. Tell your members of Congress to oppose the forced relocation and ask your family and friends to to do the same.