Overview
- USDA Deputy Secretary Stephen Vaden, in Thursday posts on X, said state directors are career staff and that closing buildings will not end research.
- The plan replaces nine regions with 15 state directors and shifts support functions to service centers in Albuquerque, Athens, Fort Collins, Madison, Missoula and Placerville.
- Research will be managed from Fort Collins as 57 of 77 facilities close or relocate, with the multi‑year transition slated to finish by summer 2027.
- About 260 Washington, D.C., jobs are expected to move to the new headquarters in Salt Lake City, while roughly 130 positions remain in the capital.
- Forest Service spokespeople say district offices and wildfire response will continue without change, as critics warn closures and relocations could trigger staff losses and disrupt long‑term field studies.