More Than 15,000 USDA Employees Take Trump Administration's Resignation Offer
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In a move that could have wide-ranging impacts to the U.S. Department of Agriculture's (USDA's) food safety, nutrition, research, and farm services programs, more than 11,300 USDA employees have signed up for the Trump Administration's second round of deferred resignations. The new round follows the 3,877 employees who chose in January to resign.
USDA confirmed the resignation figures in an email, per reporting by Politico. The total resignations include 555 employees at the Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) and comprise nearly 15 percent (15,182 positions) of the Department's overall staff. Also departing USDA are 1,377 workers at the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS), the department responsible for avian flu response; 1,255 staff at the Agricultural Research Service (ARS); and at least 498 employees at the Food and Nutrition Service, among others.
USDA is reportedly targeting as many as 30,000 total job reductions at USDA through its impending reduction-in-force program. The Trump Administration has already fired, and then rehired, thousands of probationary employees—including those working in critical areas of food safety. A number of staff who elected to resign have cited difficulties in their work environments since the Trump administration took office in January, as motivation for leaving USDA.
According to USDA spokesperson Seth Christensen, Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins plans to exempt 53 types of positions from the Department's ongoing hiring freeze, including veterinarians and food safety inspectors. This will allow USDA to ensure that critical agency functions continue, according to Christensen.
Nearly one-tenth of the total federal civilian workforce (more than 260,000 staffers) have been fired or have chosen to resign since the start of President Trump's second term.
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