Indiana Not Selected for USDA Agency Headquarters
Indiana will not become the new home of two of the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s divisions. The USDA announced today it has selected the Greater Kansas City Region to serve as the headquarters for its Economic Research Service and National Institute of Food and Agriculture.
The Hoosier State was named one of three finalists last month for the headquarters, along with Kansas City and the Research Triangle Region in North Carolina. The state of Indiana submitted its proposal along with the Indiana Economic Development Corp. and Purdue University.
Governor Eric Holcomb issued the following statement after the USDA’s announcement:
I am extremely proud of Indiana’s efforts to pursue USDA’s headquarter divisions. Our economic development teams worked around the clock with key partners to create a superior proposal and coordinated our efforts with leaders throughout the state. Indiana landing in the USDA’s top three showed the nation that once again Indiana is an ideal destination and thriving community for agriculture. We will continue positioning ourselves for further growth and momentum, ensuring we are the very best place to live, work and play.
The USDA cited a Cost Benefit Analysis which showed the department could save about $20 million annually by relocating the agencies out of Washington D.C., which would "allow more funding for research of critical needs like rural prosperity and agricultural competitiveness, and for programs and employees to be retained in the long run."