At least 15,000 USDA employees accept voluntary resignation offer
Share this @internewscast.com

Numerous personnel at the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) embraced the Trump administration’s proposal for voluntary resignation, leading to a notable workforce reduction.

This reduction represents around 15 percent of the agency’s entire staff responsible for overseeing food quality, agricultural advancement, and nationwide nutrition initiatives. A USDA representative informed The Hill that by May 1, 15,182 workers opted for the resignation package.

“Secretary [Brooke] Rollins aims to make the department more efficient and effective in serving the nation, with a focus on the needs of farmers, ranchers, and producers, while ensuring the essential duties of the Department remain intact,” the spokesperson commented.

“As part of this reorientation, the Deferred Retirement Program (DRP), a completely voluntary tool, was used to empower employees to decide what is best for them,” they added. 

The spokesperson said the Biden administration hired a large number of workers with “no sustainable” way to pay them. 

A USDA readout detailed that 555 employees at the Food Safety and Inspection Service took the resignation offer while more than 1,000 Farm Service Agency and county office employees also said they’d depart, even though Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins said that their resignations wouldn’t be accepted, according to reporting from Politico.  

An additional 2,408 staffers are leaving the Natural Resources Conservation Service in the second round of deferred resignation offers, per the outlet.

The first opportunity for employees to willingly leave came on the heels of President Trump’s inauguration in January. 

USDA is currently made up of 29 agencies and offices with nearly 100,000 employees who serve at more than 4,500 locations across the country and abroad, according to the agency.

Earlier this year, 6,000 probationary staffers were fired but later ordered to be reinstated by a federal board. 

In February, USDA officials announced they were working to take back the termination notices sent to several employees who assist the federal response efforts to the bird flu (HPAI).

“Although several positions supporting HPAI were notified of their terminations over the weekend, we are working to swiftly rectify the situation and rescind those letters,” the USDA said in a statement to The Hill’s sister station NewsNation at the time.

“USDA’s Food Safety and Inspection Service frontline positions are considered public safety positions, and we are continuing to hire the workforce necessary to ensure the safety and adequate supply of food to fulfill our statutory mission,” the statement continued.

The resignations come after USDA announced a $1 billion cut to local food programs sponsored by the department amid calls for White House officials to also help lower the cost of eggs.

Rollins, earlier this week, pledged to bring about a price drop in the coming weeks while boosting foreign agricultural opportunities. 

“It is going to be a new era of market expansion around the world, and our team is so committed to that,” Rollins said Sunday on CNN’s “State of the Union.”

Rollins added that she would be making visits to the U.K., Japan and Brazil over the next several months to open up trade to new countries as business with China is scaled back amid the Trump administration’s trade war.

Filip Timotija contributed to this report.

Share this @internewscast.com
You May Also Like

Newly Released Documents Reveal Unusual Events Leading Up to Bryan Kohberger’s Sentencing

BOISE, Idaho (AP) — In the weeks leading up to the murders…

Rep. Ralph Norman, Known for Conservative Stance, to Join South Carolina Governor Race

CHAPIN, S.C. – Rep. Ralph Norman, among the most conservative Republicans in…

Bite marks suggest that a terror bird may have been killed by a larger creature 13 million years ago.

Standing around 10 feet tall, weighing roughly 220 pounds, and boasting an…

Biden’s Ex-Chief of Staff Testifies Before House Republican Committee on Age-Related Investigation

WASHINGTON () Ron Klain, who served as former President Joe Biden’s first…

Ohio Ambush Suspect Allegedly Had a Stockpile of Weapons, Authorities Report

A man with a firearm was reportedly ambushing on a secluded street…

Sneak Peek: Music Students from 28 States Come Together at EIU to Hone Marching Band Skills

CHARLESTON, Ill. (WCIA) — Fans nationwide, including those in Central Illinois, are…

Tybee Island Residents Unite to Support Victims of House Fire

TYBEE ISLAND, Ga. () — A devastating fire on Tybee Island on…

Democrats Criticize Deputy AG’s Encounter with Ghislaine Maxwell

IE 11 is not supported. For an optimal experience visit our site…

Man Arrested for Assaulting Agents with Rock at LA Anti-ICE Demonstration

() A man accused of throwing rocks at law enforcement vehicles during…

Viral ‘Tea’ App Allows Women to Review Dates, Raising Privacy Concerns

TAMPA, Fla. (NewsNation) — An app designed to help women spot “red-flag men”…

Alivea Goncalves Discusses Her Instinct to Flee from Bryan Kohberger

() Alivea Goncalves, the sister of murdered University of Idaho student Kaylee…

“Forum Held by Pinellas Co. Schools on $9M Funding Freeze: ‘Why Let the Kids Suffer?'”

LARGO, Fla. (WLFA) — The Pinellas County School Board is addressing the…