News

Statistician group opposes USDA plan to move ERS

A group that specializes in statistical studies questions Ag Secretary Sonny Perdue’s plan to move the Economic Research Service out of Washington.  Steve Pierson with the American Statistical Association says, “What we have not been able to understand is what is the problem that the Secretary is trying to address?  As far as we can tell, this seems like a solution searching for a problem.”

Pierson tells Brownfield moving ERS out of the research arm of USDA and to the Chief Economist and the Secretary’s offices not only splits the ERS but endangers independent data research.  “It could have the appearance of needing to support the Secretary’s policies, whether or not they are based on evidence.”

Pierson says ERS is the third-ranked agricultural economics institution in the world supporting evidence-based policy making, and changing it would endanger the quality of their work.  And, he says there is a risk of losing expert staff.  “Their families are here.  Their spouses might have jobs that are not easily left.  They may have long careers and they don’t want to uproot and move to wherever the location is, so that is a loss of expertise.  It is a brain drain if you will.”

Pierson says it is important to maintain close interactions between ERS and twelve other statistical organizations based in Washington D.C.