USDA delays mass relocation of Food and Nutrition Service staff amid legal hold

The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food and Nutrition Service, recently renamed the Food and Nutrition Administration, completed the first phase of its internal reorganization, creating four units—State Support & Evaluation, Nutrition Research & Regulations, Benefits & Integrity, and Retailer Operations & Compliance—effective fiscal 2027. A federal judge in San Francisco, however, issued a temporary stay on all management-directed reassignment notices, extending the pause on employee moves until at least Oct. 13.

The agency had planned to shift most staff to regional hubs in Indiana, Texas, Missouri and North Carolina, a move the National Treasury Employees Union Chapter 226 warns could trigger further workforce reductions and jeopardize nutrition assistance delivery. Acting FNS Administrator Shiela Corley announced the structural changes via email but provided limited detail on daily impacts, leaving employees uncertain about timelines and guidance. A broader lawsuit alleges the relocations are a covert effort to shrink the workforce, while lawmakers have added a provision to the FY 2026 appropriations bill requiring congressional approval for any USDA office moves.