Court Blocks USDA Office Closures and Staff Moves
A federal judge temporarily blocked the Agriculture Department from shutting offices and moving workers across eight agencies. The court determined the department likely spent money in ways that ignored limits set by Congress. The order affects reorganization plans for the Forest Service and the Food and Nutrition Administration, among other offices.
Judge Vince Chhabria of the Northern District of California issued the temporary order Tuesday. It applies to eight USDA units, including the Forest Service, Agricultural Research Service, and Food and Nutrition Administration. The funding limits at issue lapse Dec. 11, leaving Congress able to address them in a future spending measure.
Four federal-employee unions filed the suit on behalf of those eight components. It stems from a broader union case against President Donald Trump’s 2025 effort to reduce the federal workforce, now before another judge in the same court. USDA unveiled its reorganization in summer 2025, with relocating workers away from Washington as a stated pillar.
The ruling may delay disruption for USDA workers and the communities relying on services such as forestry and nutrition programs. Employees facing relocation could gain time to stay put while courts review the plan. If the pause ends or Congress changes funding limits, reorganization could resume, potentially affecting staffing, service delivery, and local economies in areas losing or gaining offices.