WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Pat Roberts (R-Kan.) today applauded the Kansas City area being named a finalist in the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s search for a new home for the USDA Economic Research Service (ERS) and National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA).

“There’s no better place for ERS and NIFA to relocate than Kansas City,” said Sen. Roberts, Chairman of the Senate Agriculture Committee. “Moving the offices to Kansas City, in the middle of the country, close to stakeholders, should improve customer service and make efficient use of taxpayer dollars.”

Both ERS and NIFA are key research arms of USDA, currently located in the Washington, D.C area. Secretary Perdue recently launched an effort to relocate the two key research arms of the Department outside of the Washington, D.C., region.

As Chairman of the Senate Agriculture Committee tasked with oversight of USDA, and an outspoken advocate for developing research infrastructure in Kansas, Senator Roberts will continue monitoring the site selection process closely.

The Greater Kansas City Region joins sites in Indiana and the Research Triangle Region of North Carolina as finalists.