Proposed changes threaten research, conservation assistance, and farmer access to USDA programs.
WASHINGTON, D.C., August 28, 2025 — At the Organic Farming Research Foundation (OFRF), we are committed to advocating for organic research as well as the institutions and programs that make that work possible. That is why OFRF submitted comments to the USDA regarding the reorganization proposed in a July 25th memo.
The USDA’s proposed plan—developed without input from affected communities or Congress—comes at a time when public agricultural research and technical assistance are more vital than ever. For organic and transitioning-to-organic farmers, this plan threatens the very foundation of the USDA’s ability to deliver on its mission, particularly in research and conservation assistance.
“All farmers and researchers, not just those using or studying organic farming systems, need continuity, not turmoil,” said Gordon N. Merrick, OFRF’s Policy Program Director.
In our comments, linked here, OFRF highlighted how the actions outlined in this plan would:
- Erode institutional capacity agency-wide. The 2018 relocation of the National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) and Economic Research Service (ERS) demonstrated how hasty relocations result in significant attrition of seasoned employees, an impact that the agency has yet to fully recover from.
- Hinder grant administration. Staff reductions would only worsen the current delays in RFA administration, undermining research timelines and trust.
- Delay on-the-ground assistance for farmers. Natural Resource Conservation Services (NRCS) field offices, already understaffed, are crucial to conservation implementation and free technical assistance. This plan would exacerbate delays despite growing demand and programmatic funding levels.
- Disrupt public-good science. Agricultural Research Service (ARS) sites and Germplasm Collection Programs, vital for long-term research and system resiliency, would be lost.
- Reduce access to USDA programs for rural communities. OFRF and partners serve as bridges to USDA programs, but we all ultimately need robust employment in all county-level offices. Centralizing systems and closing offices would cut farmers off from essential assistance.
OFRF is urging the USDA to pause this reorganization immediately, and instead:
- Conduct a cost-benefit analysis that assesses service disruption risks and other factors.
- Publish a public justification report showing how changes will strengthen USDA’s mission.
- Launch a formal notice-and-comment process, including listening sessions in agricultural regions.
“Disrupting institutional knowledge and service capacity now threatens the organic sector’s ability to meet the challenges of our time, from economic to ecological,” Merrick added. “This reorganization plan would not result in the strengthening of USDA to meet its mission, but a significant blow to its ability to meet that mission.”
Read the full version of OFRF’s submitted comments on our advocacy page here.
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About the Organic Farming Research Foundation
The Organic Farming Research Foundation (OFRF), headquartered in Santa Cruz, California, with a remote team based across the U.S., works to foster the improvement and widespread adoption of organic farming systems. OFRF cultivates organic research, education, and federal policies that bring more farmers and acreage into organic production. For more information about OFRF, please visit our website: www.ofrf.org.
Media Contact: Ashley Dulaney, ashley[at]ofrf.org
