The Department of Agriculture says fewer than 40% of the researchers whose jobs are being transferred from Washington, D.C., to Kansas City will make the move to the Midwest.
U.S. Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue announced in June that the USDA would move more than 550 jobs in two research agencies to Kansas City. A USDA spokesperson told The Star Tuesday that 145 workers will follow their jobs to Kansas City, while 250 will leave the agency, meaning about 37% accepted the transfers.
The USDA says the figures may fluctuate. Employees can change their decision until they are expected to report to Kansas City on Sept. 30.
Members of the Kansas and Missouri congressional delegations and the states’ governors praised the USDA’s move when it was announced, saying the agencies are a good fit for the region. But critics argued that moving them will make it harder for federal policymakers to get objective research that might raise questions about President Donald Trump’s policies.
(Read more: Great Bend Post)