Federal workers sue USDA over office closures and forced relocations

The American Federation of Government Employees and additional unions sued the U.S. Department of Agriculture, asserting that its announced reorganization—relocating offices nationwide and reducing staff—will compel workers to abandon their positions, eroding agency expertise. The complaint says USDA did not evaluate how attrition would affect its mandated responsibilities, breaching the Administrative Procedure Act as arbitrary and capricious.

The plan, unveiled by Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins in July 2025, targets several USDA components, including the Food and Nutrition Administration, which runs SNAP and WIC. Plaintiffs note that the department ignored overwhelmingly negative public comments and proceeded despite congressional restrictions on restructuring. They request a federal judge halt the office closures, forced relocations, and declare the agency exceeded its authority.