Editor’s note: The Coalition on Human Needs encourages organizations and individuals to submit feedback on USDA’s proposed plan by emailing reorganization@usda.gov by Tuesday, August 26, 2025.

Last month, U.S. Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins put out a Memorandum (SM 1078-015) on the reorganization plan for the U.S Department of Agriculture (USDA). CHN and many of our partners strongly oppose the USDA reorganization plan. We know many of our members and larger networks of local organizational partners care deeply about nutrition programs and other core basic needs services, and are alarmed at the potential impact of this USDA reorganization for those who participate in programs such as SNAP, WIC, TEFAP, school and summer meals, and more. In our full comment to the USDA, we shared our concerns (summarized below) that relocating thousands of federal employees could lead to delays in critical services, reduced technical assistance for local officials and service providers, and loss of overall capacity and expertise at a fraught time for many in local communities that are facing hunger.

Organizations and individuals may submit feedback on USDA’s proposed plan by emailing reorganization@usda.gov by Tuesday, August 26, 2025.   

As partners such as the National WIC Association and the Food Research and Action Center have highlighted (and with big thanks to their work developing sample comments), the proposed plans to reduce the number of regional USDA Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) offices from 7 to 5, and to relocate all offices over a two-year period, will severely disrupt services across all federal nutrition programs. As a result of the administration’s actions earlier this year to reduce staff, FNS has lost approximately 500 employees, over 25% of the agency’s staff nationwide. Many additional FNS staff are likely to leave USDA as a result, and this substantial loss of staff, coming on the heels of staff departures earlier this year, risks leaving FNS without the ability to conduct its most basic program functions, like allocating federal funds. 

We know that many people in communities across the country are struggling with the high cost of living including grocery prices, and SNAP provides many of our neighbors, including children, seniors, people with disabilities, and others with lower incomes with vital food benefits to purchase groceries from local food retailers. SNAP provides much more than just food assistance: It is a critical support system that promotes economic well-being and better health outcomes. As a result of the passage of the budget package this summer, millions of Americans are forecast to lose SNAP – and millions more will see benefits reduced, making it harder to put food on the table. Reducing the federal staff based in Washington DC and in regional offices that support states to administer programs will make it even harder for SNAP participants and program administrators. Instead, we urge the USDA to expand its capacity to administer SNAP and other federal nutrition programs.  

We are also concerned that USDA reorganization plan will lead to significant disruptions in the implementation of the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC). WIC provides targeted nutrition support for expectant and new parents, infants, and young children and has long enjoyed bipartisan support. Our partners report that WIC state agencies are already experiencing challenges receiving timely and adequate federal funds, along with guidance and technical assistance to implement key policies. We echo the National WIC Association, and urge USDA to immediately pause this plan in order to fully consider and actively invite and take into account key stakeholder input to avoid negative impacts for the families who rely on WIC along with other nutrition programs.  

Every day, millions of people across America receive critical nutrition assistance through one or more of the 15 federal nutrition assistance programs, such as SNAP, WIC, school meals, the Summer Food Service Program, the Summer Electronic Benefit Transfer Program (Summer EBT), the Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP), Nutrition Assistance for Puerto Rico (NAP), The Emergency Food Assistance Program (TEFAP), the Commodity Supplemental Food Program (CSFP), older adult nutrition programs, the Food Distribution on Indian Reservation Program (FDPIR), and the emergency food and shelter programs. Fully funding these programs is vital to ensure the continuum of federal nutrition programs and the charitable food system can effectively and efficiently serve those in need. USDA’s planned reorganization puts all of these activities at risk. 

In summary, the Coalition on Human Needs is deeply concerned that USDA’s reorganization plan to relocate staff and reduce regional offices will result in significant harm to federal nutrition programs, and the low-income families, veterans, seniors, people with disabilities, and others that serve. We call on USDA to pause this plan immediately – and urge others to join us and weigh in with USDA along with Congress.