The Agriculture Department is sharpening its criteria for choosing new homes for two science agencies that Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue has decided to relocate outside of Washington by the end of this year. Among the new factors is travel time between Washington and the possible sites for the Economic Research Service and the National Institute for Food and Agriculture.
Although some lawmakers oppose the relocation, Perdue says it will save money overall and make it easier to recruit employees. “We will be placing important USDA resources closer to many stakeholders, most of whom live and work far from Washington, D.C.,” said Perdue, who regards proximity to agriculture as a trump card.
The USDA received 136 expressions of interest from 35 states, with sponsors ranging from “a private citizen” to real estate developers, state governments, universities, and foundations when it cast its net widely for offers last summer. The agency said it wanted locations with robust internet service, a “critical mass of intellectual capacity” to tap for its workforce, and an overall high quality of life. And it was ready to consider small cities if their airports handled at least 192 passenger boardings a week.
In an announcement overshadowed by the partial government shutdown, the USDA said it “will apply a set of guiding principles, including locations meeting USDA travel requirements, locations with specific labor force statistics, and locations with work hours most compatible with all USDA office schedules” to winnow the proposals. The agency hired a London-based consulting company to provide expert advice during the process.
The USDA said it would take into account housing costs, access to healthcare, wage rates, local unemployment rates, labor force populations, how many hotel rooms are available, proximity to stakeholders, “and travel time to/from D.C.”