U.S. Rep. Randy Feenstra said on Apr. 28 that he supports the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s plan to reorganize its Research, Education, and Economics Mission Area agencies, including moving some positions to Ames, Iowa.
The move is intended to modernize the department and better serve farmers and producers by aligning with core priorities and reducing complexity in operations.
“Representing one of the largest agricultural districts in the nation, I applaud relocating key USDA functions to Ames,” said Rep. Feenstra. “This reorganization will reduce bureaucratic complexity, strengthen leadership, and help bring the USDA closer to America’s farmers and producers that it serves. By streamlining operations and clarifying accountability, it will allow scientists, statisticians, and researchers to focus on core USDA mission work—advancing the science and data that drive American agriculture.”
Scott Hutchins, Ph.D., Under Secretary for Research, Education, and Economics at USDA also commented on the changes: “The Research, Education, and Economics Mission Area has been essential to the growth of U.S. agriculture since its creation and will remain a pivotal foundation for U.S. agriculture as we shape the next generation of agricultural innovation and economic research,” Hutchins said. “Our mission to solve agricultural challenges across the nation will undergird this restructuring and bring U.S. farmers and ranchers the service and assistance that they need to thrive and remain profitable.”
Feenstra has represented Iowa’s 4th district in Congress since replacing Steve King in 2021 according to official records. He previously served in the Iowa Senate from 2009 until his election to Congress according to legislative history. Feenstra was born in Hull, Iowa in 1969 where he currently lives according to biographical information, having graduated from Dordt University with a Bachelor of Arts degree in 1991 according to university records.
