60 farm and food groups, along with others, are urging Congress to block a proposed move of Department of Agriculture agencies out of the Washington, D.C. area. The group penned a letter to leaders of the House and Senate agricultural appropriations subcommittees requesting they protect the Economic Research Service and the National Institute of Food and Agriculture. Announced by the American Statistical Association this week, the coalition requested that agriculture appropriators “specify that no funding be used for relocation or realignment of ERS and that no funding be used for the NIFA relocation beyond that already provided for its relocation within the National Capital Region.” The letter states the fundamental concern is that the proposed relocation and realignment will undermine the quality and breadth of the work the agencies support and perform, “work that is vital to informing and supporting U.S. agriculture, food and rural economies.”
