The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has announced plans for a major restructuring of its food assistance programs, including relocating key operations outside Washington, D.C., in what officials describe as a long-overdue modernization effort.
The agency said it intends to establish a new entity, the Food and Nutrition Administration (FNA), replacing the current Food, Nutrition, and Consumer Services mission area. The move will shift leadership and staff to regional hubs across the country, a change officials say is aimed at improving customer service and program oversight.
USDA Secretary Brooke L. Rollins framed the reorganization as part of a broader effort to strengthen partnerships with state and local governments while maintaining program effectiveness.
“This reorganization is designed with those commitments in mind,” Rollins said in a statement, adding that the department will continue to support families through nutrition programs that promote health and economic stability.
The USDA emphasized that the restructuring will not interrupt services for beneficiaries or ongoing efforts to combat fraud, waste, and abuse across its 16 nutrition assistance programs.
Under the plan, major programs will be distributed geographically: the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) will move to Indianapolis, while child nutrition programs will be based in Dallas.
Other initiatives, including supplemental nutrition and safety programs, will be relocated to Kansas City, with research operations moving to Raleigh.
A central administrative presence will remain in Washington, D.C., to coordinate with Congress and oversee regulatory and policy work.
Deputy Secretary Stephen A. Vaden said the overhaul addresses longstanding structural issues, noting the absence of a Senate-confirmed under secretary in the mission area for nearly 20 years.
“This reorganization also reduces duplicative management and complexity within the agency,” Vaden said.
Officials also outlined plans for a hub-based system to replace regional offices, which they say will improve coordination and service delivery nationwide. Additional compliance and retailer operations will be spread across cities including Atlanta, Los Angeles, Dallas, and New York.
The USDA said the changes are intended to better align federal oversight with the states that administer nutrition programs, as well as the millions of Americans who rely on them.