USDA to Close 5 APHIS and 2 FAS Country Office to Cut Costs
On January 9, 2012, the U.S. Department of Agriculture announced it would close 259 domestic offices, facilities and labs across the country, as well as seven foreign offices as part of its Blueprint for Stronger Service to cut costs and streamline operations. When fully implemented, USDA states these actions along with other recommended changes will provide efficiencies valued at about $150 million annually, and eventually more based on future realignment of the workforce.
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FAS. USDA states that the Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS) will close two country offices (in Stockholm, Sweden and Damascus, Syria) and consolidate 131 Farm Service Agency (FDA) county offices in 32 states (list here).
APHIS. The Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) will close five country offices (in Rangoon, Burma; Phnom Penh, Cambodia; Bogota, Colombia; Jakarta, Indonesia; and Vientiane, Laos), as well as 15 APHIS offices in 11 states (list here).