USDA Announces Food Safety and Inspection Service Reorganization, Establishes National Food Safety Center in Iowa

Last week, the U.S. Department of Agriculture announced a reorganization of the Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) to modernize operations, streamline support functions and better align the agency with the nation’s agricultural landscape. As part of this effort, USDA will establish a new National Food Safety Center (NFSC) in Urbandale, Iowa, which will serve as the primary hub for FSIS administrative, technical and support operations.

Opponents, including some Democratic lawmakers, have raised concerns that these types of reallocations are used to downsize agency effectiveness and affect morale, rather than improve services.

Marion Nestle says the move will gut the agency, destroy its expertise, and disable it for years to come. She adds “That has to be the intent. Add these to the 27,000 people who have already left USDA since Trump II, 37% of its staff.  Surely, some of those people helped get the agency’s work done.”

Establishing a Central Hub for Food Safety Operations

FSIS will repurpose existing USDA space in Urbandale, Iowa, to establish the new National Food Safety Center (NFSC), which will become the agency’s largest office in the United States with approximately 200 employees.

The NFSC will serve as FSIS’ primary location for headquarters support functions, including resource management, training, food safety education, financial operations, information technology and administrative services. By consolidating these functions in a centrally located hub, FSIS will reduce duplication, improve coordination and expand access to career opportunities for employees across the country. The establishment of the NFSC marks a significant shift in the agency’s operational footprint, placing key functions closer to the agricultural and food production systems that FSIS regulates and supports.

Expanding Scientific Leadership in Georgia

FSIS will also establish a Science Center in Athens, Georgia, building on its existing Eastern Field Services Laboratory and expanding its capabilities in microbiology, chemistry and epidemiology. The Science Center will strengthen FSIS’ scientific leadership and ensure continued access to top-tier academic institutions, a robust public health workforce and key industry partners.

Aligning Workforce and Functions Nationwide

Under the reorganization, FSIS will relocate approximately two-thirds of its National Capital Region workforce to mission-critical locations, including the National Food Safety Center in Iowa and the Science Center in Georgia.

Approximately 200 positions will be relocated from Washington D.C, while roughly 100 positions will remain to support congressional engagement, policy development and interagency coordination. FSIS will also establish a presence in Fort Collins, Colorado, for staff supporting international activities, further aligning the agency with USDA’s broader geographic footprint.

Maintaining Continuity in Food Safety Operations

The reorganization does not impact FSIS’ frontline inspection workforce which represents 85 percent of employees and operates across more than 6,800 regulated establishments. All food safety inspection activities and public health protections will continue without interruption, and the reorganization does not include any reduction in force. All FSIS employees will retain positions within the agency.