USDA Layoffs Derail Projects Benefiting American Farmers
1 min read
Summary
Scientists working for the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) have been laid off, putting vital research into disarray, according to former and current agency employees.
The research affected includes projects to enhance crops, defend against pests and disease, and understand the climate implications of farming practices.
The layoffs also risk undermining billions of dollars of taxpayers’ money paid to farmers to support conservation practices, say experts.
Trump’s mass firing of federal employees has targeted those in their probationary periods before gaining permanent status, which can be up to three years at the USDA.
Many staff members were informed of their dismissal in a blanket email sent on 13 February.
One employee told Wired magazine that the weeks leading up to the firings had been chaotic, with work on the Inflation Reduction Act continuously paused and unpaused.
