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USDA Selects KC for Two Key Agencies

by Emily McVey | Jun 13, 2019

The USDA announced today that the KC region has been selected for the home offices of its Economic Research Service (ERS) and National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA), representing 568 new jobs. Congratulations to the entire team that led the KC region’s bid for this significant operation. Read more

The USDA team continues to evaluate multiple Class A office properties in Kansas and Missouri for its 120,000-sq.-ft. space, which will house both agencies, and expects to be operational sometime this fall.

The KC region presented a strong and compelling case as the location of the ERS and NIFA offices, ultimately beating out Raleigh, NC and Indianapolis, Indiana.

The KC region was chosen for its existing concentration of USDA employees and operations, the more than 150 federal agencies in the area, proximity to 13 land grant universities and central location in the agricultural heart of the country. This concentration is enhanced by the area’s research capabilities and industry-led initiatives like the KC Animal Health Corridor (KCAHC). Kansas City’s affordability, capacity for growth, easy commutes, extraordinary livability and strong desire to partner with the USDA, makes the Kansas City area the ideal home for the ERS and NIFA.

On May 3, U.S. Secretary of Agriculture, Sonny Perdue, announced that the KC region had been selected as one of the top three options for the ERS and NIFA home offices. Multiple conversations followed that announcement, including a visit to Washington DC and meetings with the KC region’s federal delegation including all four U.S. Senators as well as Rep. Hartzler, and the senior staff for all Congressional members. The USDA team visited the KC region on May 22 to complete its decision making process and tour viable real estate properties.

Today’s announcement is the culmination of 10 months of preparation, response and client service by the entire KC regional team of nearly 300 organizations. The Kansas City Area Development Council and the KC Animal Health Corridor had an unprecedented level of unified support from the entire federal delegation representing the KC region who all believed this was the best place for the ERS and NIFA offices. Our sincere and heartfelt thank you to:

 Elected Officials

Kansas  Missouri 
 U.S. Senator Pat Roberts   U.S. Senator Roy Blunt 
 U.S. Senator Jerry Moran  U.S. Senator Josh Hawley 
 Representative Sharice L. Davids   Representative Emanuel Cleaver, II 
 Representative Roger Marshall, M.D.  Representative Sam Graves 
 Representative Steven Watkins   Representative Vicky Hartzler 
 Representative Ron Estes   Governor Michael L. Parson 
 Governor Laura Kelly   Lieutenant Governor Mike Kehoe 
 Lieutenant Governor Lynn Rogers   

State of Kansas

 Kansas Department of Commerce   Kansas Department of Agriculture 
 Kansas Board of Regents   Kansas Corn Growers Association 
 Kansas Farm Bureau   Kansas Livestock Association 
 Kansas Pork Association   Kansas Sorghum Producers   Association 
 Kansas Soybean Association   Kansas Wheat Association 
 BioKansas   Johnson County Community   College 
 Baker University  Kansas City Kansas Community   College 
 Kansas State University   Kansas State University-Olathe 
 University of Kansas   City of Leavenworth, KS 
 City of Olathe, KS   City of Tonganoxie, KS 
 Economic Development Corporation of   Lawrence and Douglas County  Franklin County Economic   Development   Council 
 Leavenworth County Development   Corporation    Lenexa Chamber of Commerce   and EDC 
 Manhattan Area Chamber of Commerce  Manhattan Economic   Development   Corporation
 Olathe Chamber of Commerce   Overland Park Chamber of   Commerce and EDC   
 Southwest Johnson County Economic   Development Council   The Chamber of Lawrence,   Kansas 
 Unified Government of Wyandotte   County/Kansas City, KS   Wyandotte Economic   Development   Council 
 

 State of Missouri

 Missouri Department of Economic Development   Missouri Partnership 
 Missouri Department of Agriculture   FCS Financial 
 MFA Incorporated   Missouri Agribusiness   Association 
 Missouri Cattlemen’s Association   Missouri Corn Growers   Association 
 Missouri Corn Merchandising Council   Missouri Cotton Growers   Association 
 Missouri Dairy Association   Missouri Dairy Industry Alliance 
 Missouri Egg Council   Missouri Farm Bureau 
 Missouri Forest Products Association   Missouri Pork Association 
 Missouri Rice Research and Merchandising   Council   Missouri Soybean Association 
 Missouri Technology Corporation   The Poultry Federation 
 Lincoln University    Metropolitan Community College 
 Northwest Missouri State University   Park University 
 University of Central Missouri   University of Missouri 
 University of Missouri-Kansas City   William Jewell College 
 City of Lee’s Summit, MO    City of Platte City, MO 
 Economic Development Corporation of Kansas   City, MO   Kansas City Aviation Department 
 Lee’s Summit EDC   Platte County EDC 
 Port KC St. Joseph Economic Development   Partnership   

 Other Partners

 Aerotek, Inc.  Agricultural Business Council of Kansas   City 
 Agriculture Future of America   Ajilon Professional Staffing
 Allied Global Services  AMC Theatres
 American Hereford Association   American Royal
 Animalytix  AREA Real Estate Advisors
 Arvest Bank  Bank Midwest
 Bank of America, N.A.  Bank of Blue Valley
 Bayer Animal Health   BIOMIN America, Inc.
 BioNexus KC  BMO Harris Bank
 Boehringer Ingelheim  Boulevard Brewing
 Bryan Cave Leighton Paisner, LLP  Burns & McDonnell
 Capitol Federal Savings & Loan  CBRE
 Central Bank of the Midwest  Charlie Hustle Clothing Co.
 JPMorgan Chase  Children’s Mercy Hospital
 Citizens Bank & Trust  Civic Council of Greater Kansas City
 College Basketball Experience  Colliers International
 Commerce Bank  CommunityAmerica Credit Union
 Copaken Brooks  CrossFirst Bank
 Crown Center  Cushman & Wakefield
 Dairy Farmers of America  DEG
 EFL Associates  Enterprise Bank & Trust
 Evergy  Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation
 Fenaroli & Associates  First National Bank
 Fry-Wagner Relocation & Logistics  Garmin International Inc.
 Greater Kansas City Chamber of   Commerce  Greater Kansas City Federal Executive   Board
 Group O’Dell  H&R Block
 Hallmark Cards, Inc.  Honeywell
 Hunt Midwest Real Estate Development   Inc.  IMKO Workforce Solutions
 INTRUST Bank  Iowa State University 
 Jay Wolfe Acura  JE Dunn Construction
 JLL  Kansas City Royals
 Kansas City Regional Association of   REALTORS  Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts
 Lang Chevrolet-Buick-GMC  Likarda, LLC
 Livestock Marketing Association  Made in Kansas City
 Malfer & Associates Real Estate Services  Mark One Electric Company, Inc.
 Mazuma Credit Union  McCownGordon Construction 
 Merck Animal Health  Mobank | BOK Financial
 MRIGlobal  National Association of Farm   Broadcasting 
 Newmark Grubb Zimmer  Norbrook, Inc.
 Oakes Auto  OpenAir Equity Partners/FarmLink
 Parker + Lynch  PNC Bank
 Shatto Milk Company  Shook, Hardy & Bacon
 Sporting KC  TeamKC
 The Barstow School  The Fontaine
 The Vue  Tradebot Properties
 Union Station  U.S. Bank
 U.S. Citizenship and Immigration   Services-NBC   U.S. Federal Properties Trust
 UMB Bank, n.a.  University of Nebraska-Lincoln 
 VanTrust Real Estate LLC  VisitKC
 VMLY&R  Waters Farm, Inc.
 Western Equipment Dealers Association  

About the Economic Research Service (ERS)
The mission of USDA's Economic Research Service is to anticipate trends and emerging issues in agriculture, food, the environment, and rural America and to conduct high-quality, objective economic research to inform and enhance public and private decision making. Learn more.

About National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA)
The National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) provides leadership and funding for programs that advance agriculture-related sciences. It invests in and supports initiatives that ensure the long-term viability of agriculture. NIFA applies an integrated approach to ensure that groundbreaking discoveries in agriculture-related sciences and technologies reach the people who can put them into practice. Learn more.

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