OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — The Department of Agriculture finds itself in a frenzy as it endeavors to bring back on board several employees who had played a role in the government’s response to the ongoing avian flu outbreak that has wreaked havoc on egg and poultry farms for the past three years. These workers were part of the multitude of federal staff members who were let go based on recommendations by the Department of Government Efficiency spearheaded by billionaire Elon Musk. The said department has been tasked with executing President Trump’s pledge to streamline and reshape the federal government. Republican Representative Don Bacon voiced concerns over the administration’s handling of the staff reductions, emphasizing the need for precision in decision-making to safeguard critical missions.
The avian flu outbreak has led to the culling of approximately 160 million birds in efforts to contain the spread of the virus since its onset in 2022. The majority of the culled birds were egg-producing chickens, resulting in a surge in egg prices to a record high average of $4.95 per dozen. The federal government has allocated nearly $2 billion towards the response, with close to $1.2 billion disbursed to farmers as compensation for their losses. A spokesperson for the USDA affirmed the department’s commitment to prioritizing the response to highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) by safeguarding essential roles such as veterinarians, animal health technicians, and other emergency response personnel involved in the containment efforts. Nevertheless, some employees within the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service at the USDA faced terminations.
The USDA spokesperson disclosed that despite certain APHIS roles supporting HPAI being notified of their impending layoffs over the weekend, steps are being taken to promptly rectify the situation and rescind those notifications. Reports from Politico and NBC News indicated that the axed positions belonged to an office tasked with overseeing the national network of laboratories relied upon by the USDA to confirm cases of avian flu and other animal diseases. The exact number of employees that the department is seeking to rehire and whether any of them were stationed at the primary USDA lab in Ames, Iowa, remained uncertain.
Democratic Senator Amy Klobuchar denounced the elimination of these crucial positions at a time when producers are already grappling with the avian flu outbreak, consumers are facing exorbitant prices, and apprehensions loom over the potential broader spread of the virus. She urged the USDA to promptly reinstate these vital personnel. Trump administration officials hinted at a potential shift in the USDA’s strategy towards managing the avian flu outbreak, suggesting that perhaps the wholesale culling of flocks may not be necessary when cases are identified. However, concrete details of this proposed shift have yet to be divulged.
