Missouri Farm Bureau President Blake Hurst made the following statement regarding USDA’s announcement of Kansas City as its relocation site for NIFA and ERS:
Kansas City is the heart of our farm economy and is deservedly the right choice for USDA. Secretary Sonny Perdue has often said customer service is his number one goal at USDA, and there is no better way to show his commitment than having our public servants living where their customers are. The National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) and Economic Research Service (ERS) will find Kansas City a vibrant, modern community that is excited to welcome them to the region. Our thanks to the Missouri congressional delegation in addition to Governor Mike Parson and Director of Agriculture Chris Chinn who worked closely with University of Missouri System President Mun Choi and many other leaders throughout the region to make this a reality. We greatly appreciate all of their efforts. Hopefully this is just the first of several agencies that will break through the Beltway and move to the heartland.