The USDA announced on Friday that it has terminated the contracts of around 70 foreign workers from countries like China, Russia, North Korea, and Iran. This decision came as a result of a National Security Review focused on food safety in the U.S.
A spokesperson for the USDA noted that these contract workers were from “countries of concern” and thus were deemed ineligible to participate in USDA projects. One of the workers shared his experience in the Agricultural Research Services (ARS), an important research division of the USDA.
ARS conducts essential research for American farmers, tackling issues such as pests, food safety, and climate change. Some of the dismissed workers were postdoctoral researchers from China who arrived this week only to find their access badges no longer functioned.
Earlier this month, USDA Secretary Brook Rollins unveiled a plan aimed at safeguarding U.S. farmland, which included cancelling contracts with workers from the aforementioned countries and prohibiting citizens of those nations from purchasing farmland in the U.S.
Moreover, publications from all ARS projects are set for reevaluation, with particular scrutiny directed at those who have collaborated with researchers from these four countries. Ethan Roberts, an ARS employee and chairman of a local government employees’ coalition, is leading these efforts.
Rollins emphasized that farm security is fundamentally tied to national security. However, a federal employment freeze is currently in place, meaning no new project exchanges will occur until it is lifted on October 15th.
Henderson, another USDA representative, expressed concerns that the cuts could significantly delay ongoing research projects, including the development of vaccines for dangerous toxins found in undercooked beef. He remarked, “Without the right talent, we could be set back for years, if not decades.”
This reduction is part of the USDA’s broader efforts, which have already seen a total decrease of approximately 1,200 workers this year.
