Resources on USDA Economic Research Service
and Secretary Perdue’s August 9, 2018, announcement to realign & relocate it
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Events related to USDA Secretary Sonny Perdue’s announcement about ERS realignment and relocation
- Background: Agricultural and Applied Economics funding in FY 2019: President’s Budget Request (posted by AAEA Government Relations Program, Feb 2018).
- USDA to Realign ERS with Chief Economist, Relocate ERS & NIFA Outside DC (Aug 9, 2018).
- Notice of Request for Expression of Interest for Potential Sites for Headquarters Office Locations, Federal Register (Notice by the Agriculture Dept. on Aug 15, 2018).
- House Appropriations subcommittee on Agriculture minority members letter of concern (Aug 30, 2018).
- Senate Agriculture Committee bipartisan letter of oversight from Senators Roberts and Stabenow to Secretary Perdue (Sep 7, 2018).
- Extension of Period To Submit Expression of Interest for Potential Sites for Headquarters Office Locations (to Oct. 15), Federal Register (Notice by the Agriculture Dept. on Sep 13, 2018).
- USDA Secretary Perdue’s reply to the Senate Agriculture Committee bipartisan letter of oversight. (September 20, 2018).
- Hoyer, Norton Ask Inspector General to Investigate USDA Proposal to Relocate Two Agencies Out of the National Capital Region (Sep 26, 2018).
- USDA Announces Receipt of 136 Expressions of Interest in Hosting ERS & NIFA. (Oct 22, 2018).
- House Democrats Introduce Bill To Stop Research Agency Reorganization and Relocation (Dec 20, 2018).
- Perdue Announces ERS, NIFA Site Selection Criteria, USDA press release (Dec 21, 2018).
- Secretary Perdue Announces Middle List For ERS and NIFA Relocation (March 12, 2019).
- Perdue Announces Top Sites for ERS and NIFA Relocations (May 3, 2019).
- ERS votes to form union, NIFA to vote on June 11. The Fence Post (May 9, 2019).
- Secretary Perdue Announces Kansas City Region as Location for ERS and NIFA (USDA press release, June 13, 2019).
ERS background: Its role and activity
- Economic Research Service: Specialized Agency Functions and Public Goods’ Provision, report by Kitty Smith Evans for Charles Valentine Riley Foundation (Feb. 2018)
- Economic Research Service mission, ERS (2017)
News coverage
- 'A complete shock': Economists stunned by USDA's decision to move economic research arm, POLITICO (Aug. 15, 2018).
- Scientists are raising the alarm that upcoming USDA overhaul will slash research funding, Washington Post (Aug. 16, 2018).
- USDA Research Relocation and Reorganization: Perspectives from Former USDA Chief Scientists and Administrators, national webinar (Sep. 20, 2018).
- Agriculture Secretary Defends Proposed Office Relocations, Government Executive (Sep. 25, 2018).
- House Democrats gear up to block planned move of USDA research agencies, Science Magazine (Dec. 20, 2018).
- Trump administration plans to move USDA research divisions despite concerns, Washington Post (April 25, 2019).
- ERS votes to form union, NIFA to vote on June 11. The Fence Post (May 9, 2019).
- USDA research agencies will move to Kansas City region, Perdue announces. Washington Post (June 13, 2019).
- Hundreds of USDA jobs headed to KC after ‘united effort’ by Kansas and Missouri. Kansas City Star (June 13, 2019).
Opinion Pieces
- Why Would USDA Shoot Itself in the Foot?, AmStat News, by Kitty Smith Evans (Aug 1, 2018).
- Spreading Federal Workers Around The Country Might Be A Good Idea, Forbes, by Jeffrey Dorfman (Aug 10, 2018).
- The Department of Agriculture has a world class economics research institution … and is throwing it away, The Hill, by Susan Offutt (Aug 27, 2018).
- "USDA Research Service Could Be Hampered,” Des Moines Register, by Scott Swinton (Aug. 28, 2018).
- Questionable Moves at USDA, National Journal Daily, by Jerry Hagstrom (Sep 5, 2018).
- Slashing food research funding is a mistake, The Hill, by Catherine E. Woteki and Gale A. Buchanan (Sep 26, 2018).
- Selling off USDA research agency to the highest bidder is a mistake, The Hill, by John E. Lee (Nov 24, 2018).
- Agency function is tied to how people feel about their job — that's bad news for USDA research, The Hill, by Susan Offutt (Jan 18, 2019).
- An Urban's Rural View: The Curious Politics of the Proposed USDA Relocation (Jan 21, 2019).
- At Trump’s Agriculture Department, science is being plowed under, Washington Post, by Gale Buchanan and Catherine Woteki (June 7, 2019).
AAEA official letters related to the ERS
- Letter to USDA Secretary Perdue from AAEA on USDA (June 21, 2017).
- Maintain or Increase Funding for USDA Economic Research Programs in FY19, AAEA letter to chairman & ranking member of House and Senate Appropriations Agriculture subcommittees (April 11, 2018).
- Preserve Economic Research Service effectiveness as research agency in Capital vicinity, AAEA letter to chairman & ranking member of House and Senate Agriculture committees and Agricultural Appropriations subcommittees (Aug 28, 2018).
- Letter to USDA Secretary Perdue from AAEA on proposed ERS relocation and reorganization (Oct. 26, 2018).
- Letter to AAEA from United State Department of Agriculture: Office of the Secretary (Nov 23, 2018).
- Maintain and Strengthen Support for Economic Research in USDA REE Mission Area for FY20, AAEA Board Letter to Senate and House agricultural appropriations subcommittee leaders (April 11, 2019).
- Group Letter on ERS and NIFA Bill Language (June 26, 2019)