The U.S. Department of Agriculture announced Thursday a major reorganization of the Food Safety and Inspection Service to modernize operations, reduce duplication, and better align the agency with agricultural production areas.
The plan includes establishing a new National Food Safety Center in Urbandale, Iowa, as the primary hub for FSIS administrative, technical, and support functions, as noted in a U.S. Department of Agriculture press release.
As part of the changes, approximately two-thirds of FSIS’s National Capital Region workforce will relocate to mission-critical sites, including the Iowa center and a Science Center in Athens, Georgia. Officials said the moves will improve coordination and efficiency while preserving all frontline inspection activities at more than 6,800 regulated establishments nationwide.
“This is about building a stronger, more resilient food safety system for the country. By establishing a National Food Safety Center in Iowa and expanding our scientific capabilities, USDA is ensuring that the Food Safety and Inspection Service is positioned where it can best support American agriculture and protect public health,” said Secretary Brooke L. Rollins.
Deputy Secretary Stephen A. Vaden stated, “We are taking a hard look at how FSIS operates and making targeted changes to improve how the agency functions day to day. Consolidating support operations in Iowa, strengthening scientific work in Georgia, and aligning staff with mission needs will reduce duplication and improve accountability.”
The National Food Safety Center will repurpose existing USDA space in Urbandale and house about 200 employees responsible for resource management, training, food safety education, financial operations, information technology, and administrative services. A Science Center in Athens, Georgia, will expand capabilities in microbiology, chemistry, and epidemiology. Additional staff will support international activities from Fort Collins, Colorado.
Roughly 200 positions will move from the Washington, D.C., area, while about 100 will remain in the National Capital Region for congressional relations, policy, and interagency work. The reorganization will not affect the frontline inspection workforce, which comprises 85% of FSIS employees. No reduction in force is planned, and employees will retain their positions, per the press release.
The announcement builds on broader USDA reorganization efforts that began in July 2025 under Secretary Rollins. Those earlier steps focused on aligning workforce size with resources, moving services closer to farmers and ranchers, and eliminating redundant functions. The FSIS changes represent a targeted application of that framework to food safety operations.
Food safety inspection activities and public health protections will continue without interruption during the transition. The National Food Safety Center is expected to become FSIS’s largest office once fully operational.
