More than 700 USDA workers accepted resignation offers that provided months of paid leave. Now the agency is warning that key biosecurity work, like port inspections and outbreak response, will suffer without them.
As many as 700 USDA workers on the frontlines of pest detection and crop protection have accepted deferred resignation offers. Their departure could slow inspections, delay outbreak response and leave the nation’s crops exposed to invasive species — which could harm the agricultural economy.
The Trump administration’s trade war is having a significant impact on the nation’s agricultural sector, particularly as the U.S. and China have increased tariff rates against each
In February, the USDA terminated about 6,000 jobs. Following a judge’s order, many employees have been reinstated, but the Trump administration is moving forward with plans to reduce the federal workforce.
Midwest farmers fear economic fallout as Trump’s shifting tariff policies reignite trade tensions with key partners. Many worry that new trade wars will further disrupt global markets, leaving them with fewer buyers and declining profits.
Farmers invested in federally-backed programs now worry about delays, rising costs, and financial uncertainty, with critical infrastructure projects, conservation efforts, and climate disaster relief funding left in limbo.
