The senators said proposed changes to USDA research agencies could disrupt scientific research, agricultural data collection and services supporting farmers and ranchers.

Organ Mountain News report

WASHINGTON - U.S. Sens. Martin Heinrich and Ben Ray Luján are pressing the U.S. Department of Agriculture for answers about how a planned restructuring of federal research agencies could affect farmers, ranchers and rural communities in New Mexico.

In a letter sent to USDA Deputy Secretary Stephen Vaden, the senators raised concerns about changes involving the department’s Research, Education, and Economics mission area, known as REE.

“The REE reorganization and restructuring announced this April...could result in decreased agency capacity, further deteriorating the Department’s ability to conduct research, administer funding, and produce timely and reliable data products,” the senators wrote.

Heinrich and Luján said previous relocations involving USDA agencies led to major staffing losses and disruptions. The letter cites a 2022 Government Accountability Office report finding that relocations of the Economic Research Service and National Institute of Food and Agriculture in 2018 and 2019 resulted in both agencies losing more than half their staff.

The senators also pointed to recent staffing reductions within USDA agencies, including the National Agricultural Statistics Service, which they said lost more than 30 percent of its staff in 2025.

According to the letter, the USDA’s latest restructuring plan would relocate REE staff across more than 27 locations within a matter of months, though senators said details remain unclear.

“In order to address these concerns, we ask that you provide a detailed description of actions the Department has taken to minimize disruptions to farmers, ranchers, and ag researchers,” the senators wrote.

The lawmakers said they are concerned the restructuring could weaken agricultural research, delay funding administration and undermine confidence in USDA data relied on by farmers and rural communities.

The letter asks the USDA to provide details about efforts to minimize disruptions and to explain how the department is engaging with employees and labor groups during the restructuring process.

The letter was led by Sen. Amy Klobuchar of Minnesota and signed by more than 20 Democratic and independent senators, including Heinrich and Luján.

You can read the full text of the letter HERE.