Agriculture Secretary Vows to Continue Forest Service Reorganization Amid Legal Challenge

Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins stated Thursday that the Trump administration is moving forward with its comprehensive reorganization of the Forest Service, even after a federal judge temporarily halted the changes last week. The administration's plan involves relocating the Forest Service headquarters from Washington, D.C., to Salt Lake City, closing 23 research stations, and replacing many regional offices with state-level offices.

This initiative is part of a larger realignment within the Department of Agriculture aimed at consolidating resources and bringing the agency closer to the rural communities it serves. Administration officials argue the reorganization will cut costs and focus resources on Western states, where approximately 90% of national forest lands are located. However, federal employee unions, environmental groups, and some local officials oppose the plan, asserting it is a strategy to reduce the workforce by compelling employees to relocate or resign.

U.S. District Judge Vince Chhabria in California issued an order on October 13 blocking the reorganization. He cited concerns that the plan would force thousands of USDA employees to choose between relocating or losing their jobs. The judge also indicated that the administration likely violated congressional restrictions by using funds intended for other purposes to advance the reorganization. The Department of Agriculture has been reducing management layers as part of President Donald Trump's broader effort to downsize the federal workforce and increase efficiency.

The administration has previously attempted structural changes, including a plan to shift wildfire fighting responsibilities to a new federal Wildland Fire Service. While the administration recently scaled back one aspect of the reorganization, announcing that 41 research facilities would remain open, nearly two dozen research stations are still slated for closure.

This proposed reorganization echoes previous efforts by the Trump administration, such as the relocation of the Bureau of Land Management headquarters to Colorado. That move was later reversed by the Biden administration, which returned the BLM headquarters to Washington, D.C. A survey by the National Federation of Federal Employees indicated that a significant majority of its members opposed the Agriculture Department's reorganization plan and were unwilling to relocate.

The appeal of the judge's order is underway, and Secretary Rollins emphasized the administration's continued belief in the reorganization's goals. The Forest Service workforce has seen a reduction of 16% under the Trump administration, declining from over 39,000 employees to 33,000.