Thousands of employees at the USDA have taken the Trump administration’s offer for voluntary resignations, leading to notable reductions in workforce size.
This change represents about 15% of the workforce within the department responsible for overseeing food quality, agriculture development, and national nutrition initiatives. As of May 1, a USDA spokesperson confirmed that 15,182 employees opted for this resignation offer.
“Secretary [Brooke] Rollins is focused on making the department more efficient, aiming to enhance services for Americans while prioritizing the needs of farmers, ranchers, and producers. She remains committed to the essential functions of the department,” the spokesperson mentioned.
“To facilitate this realignment, the department employed the Deferred Retirement Program (DRP), a voluntary option for employees to determine what works best for them,” they added.
The spokesperson also noted that the Biden administration has been actively hiring many workers under “sustainable” practices.
According to details released, 555 employees from the Food Safety and Inspection Services accepted resignation offers, while over 1,000 staff from farm service agencies and county offices also decided to leave.
Additionally, a further 2,408 employees from the Natural Resources Conservation Services are set to depart in a second wave of postponed resignation offers.
This chance for employees to exit arose shortly after President Trump took office in January.
The USDA currently employs about 100,000 individuals across 29 agencies and offices, operating in over 4,500 locations both domestically and internationally.
Earlier this year, 6,000 probationary workers were let go, although this decision was later reversed by the Federal Commission.
In February, USDA officials revealed plans to retract termination notices issued to several employees involved in federal responses to avian flu (HPAI).
“Some positions associated with HPAI received termination notifications over the weekend, but we are working swiftly to address and rescind those notices,” the USDA stated in a message to Hill Sister Station News Nation.
“The USDA plays a frontline role in food safety and testing services, which are considered public safety roles, and continues to hire necessary personnel to adhere to legal responsibilities regarding food safety and supply,” the statement added.
This wave of resignations follows a $1 billion reduction in funding for the department’s local food program, as officials from the White House sought to lower egg prices.
Recently, Rollins promised forthcoming price reductions, which would enhance opportunities for foreign farming. “We are entering a new era of global market expansion, and our team is fully dedicated to this effort,” Rollins remarked during an interview on CNN.
He also mentioned plans to expand trade with nations like the UK, Japan, and Brazil in the months ahead, especially as interactions with China diminish amid the ongoing trade tensions from the Trump administration.
