Trump administration faces challenges in rehiring bird flu employees it previously dismissed
USDA supervisors are currently required to provide justification for rehiring decisions, while some employees remain without their laptops.
TroibNews 
On Wednesday, the Trump administration unveiled a plan costing nearly $1 billion aimed at addressing the spread of avian flu and alleviating soaring egg prices amidst a significant outbreak affecting poultry flocks nationwide.
However, this initiative faces challenges as the Agriculture Department struggles to rehire essential staff who were terminated during the administration's widespread overhaul of government employees. Approximately 25% of the workforce in a vital office responsible for testing the virus has been cut, along with various scientists and inspectors.
These dismissals have led to a partial closure at one of the department's research facilities, as reported by two USDA employees, hindering efforts to combat bird flu and assist livestock in recovering from diseases.
Agency officials are encountering logistical issues in reinstating bird flu personnel and persuading them to return amid ongoing attempts by the president to cut government jobs. The spread of bird flu is extending beyond poultry, with dairy herds in more than a dozen states also being infected, creating increased concern over staffing at USDA. Recent weeks have highlighted the ease of terminating employees compared to the complexities of rehiring, especially when the roles are vital for public health.
“I don’t know if people are going to want to come back,” one anonymous USDA employee commented about the firings and attempts to rehire. “Now there’s this perception that federal jobs are not secure. I think they permanently damaged these services.”
USDA supervisors have been instructed to provide justifications for each bird flu employee they seek to bring back, according to a knowledgeable source. Some of those rehired recently still lack essential equipment such as laptops. There is uncertainty regarding whether all ousted employees have received offers to return or if they plan to accept them, which could leave critical offices understaffed in addressing the outbreak.
A few of the reinstated workers were once again nudged to consider the administration's "deferred resignation" plan, as noted by two individuals familiar with the situation.
“Rather than measure twice and cut once, it’s more like everyone is on the chopping block and then, ‘Oh shit we cut the wrong people,’” another USDA employee remarked.
Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins’ newly proposed bird flu strategy includes financial assistance for farmers and increased egg imports. Nevertheless, her announcement did not mention USDA’s ongoing efforts to rehire its workforce.
Several of the hundreds of employees let go from the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, which is at the forefront of the federal avian influenza response, were assured their positions would be reinstated. The same assurance was given to personnel at the National Animal Health Laboratory Network program office, responsible for coordinating virus testing and tracking among labs nationwide, as confirmed by a USDA spokesperson.
The spokesperson also noted that veterinarians, animal health technicians, and emergency response staff at APHIS were “exempted” from the initial layoffs, but it remains unclear if this exemption covered all employees involved in bird flu efforts.
One USDA employee mentioned they are still awaiting confirmation from several colleagues on whether they will take the administration's offer to return.
The administration's push to rapidly reduce the size of the federal government, spearheaded by the White House and billionaire Elon Musk, has also delayed significant research initiatives aimed at combating bird flu and other animal diseases, as well as aiding livestock recovery.
As stated by the department’s spokesperson, "about a dozen … probationary employees whose roles were primarily administrative and were not deemed essential to the functions of the lab” were let go from the National Bio and Agro-Defense Facility in Manhattan, Kansas, which specializes in zoonotic and foreign animal diseases.
USDA’s U.S. Dairy Forage Research Center, a leading agricultural research establishment, has seen more than a quarter of its workforce eliminated due to the initial firings, jeopardizing millions of dollars in federally-funded research, according to two individuals familiar with the situation.
They reported that USDA has since asked some employees previously engaged with bird flu and several scientists to return to the center. Although some have returned this week, they lack necessary equipment, making it difficult for them to perform their tasks effectively.
Like in the case of NBAF, USDA has opted not to bring back supporting staff who are not leading scientists. The absence of such personnel has left Dairy Forage partially non-operational, as indicated by two sources.
Recently, the lack of a technician caused significant disruption: A machine primarily monitored by one of the terminated technicians, which tests certain plant and soil samples, caught fire, necessitating an evacuation of Dairy Forage employees.
Numerous research projects have been left incomplete, and uncertainty looms over whether those who were rehired will be able to resume the work that was previously in progress.
“If … they have projects that are ongoing, all of that work has now essentially been thrown out, discarded and dead in the water,” remarked Dr. Mary Beth Hall, a retired Dairy Forage researcher. “You’ve got God knows how many millions of dollars of research that’s just been thrown away.”
Navid Kalantari contributed to this report for TROIB News
However, this initiative faces challenges as the Agriculture Department struggles to rehire essential staff who were terminated during the administration's widespread overhaul of government employees. Approximately 25% of the workforce in a vital office responsible for testing the virus has been cut, along with various scientists and inspectors.
These dismissals have led to a partial closure at one of the department's research facilities, as reported by two USDA employees, hindering efforts to combat bird flu and assist livestock in recovering from diseases.
Agency officials are encountering logistical issues in reinstating bird flu personnel and persuading them to return amid ongoing attempts by the president to cut government jobs. The spread of bird flu is extending beyond poultry, with dairy herds in more than a dozen states also being infected, creating increased concern over staffing at USDA. Recent weeks have highlighted the ease of terminating employees compared to the complexities of rehiring, especially when the roles are vital for public health.
“I don’t know if people are going to want to come back,” one anonymous USDA employee commented about the firings and attempts to rehire. “Now there’s this perception that federal jobs are not secure. I think they permanently damaged these services.”
USDA supervisors have been instructed to provide justifications for each bird flu employee they seek to bring back, according to a knowledgeable source. Some of those rehired recently still lack essential equipment such as laptops. There is uncertainty regarding whether all ousted employees have received offers to return or if they plan to accept them, which could leave critical offices understaffed in addressing the outbreak.
A few of the reinstated workers were once again nudged to consider the administration's "deferred resignation" plan, as noted by two individuals familiar with the situation.
“Rather than measure twice and cut once, it’s more like everyone is on the chopping block and then, ‘Oh shit we cut the wrong people,’” another USDA employee remarked.
Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins’ newly proposed bird flu strategy includes financial assistance for farmers and increased egg imports. Nevertheless, her announcement did not mention USDA’s ongoing efforts to rehire its workforce.
Several of the hundreds of employees let go from the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, which is at the forefront of the federal avian influenza response, were assured their positions would be reinstated. The same assurance was given to personnel at the National Animal Health Laboratory Network program office, responsible for coordinating virus testing and tracking among labs nationwide, as confirmed by a USDA spokesperson.
The spokesperson also noted that veterinarians, animal health technicians, and emergency response staff at APHIS were “exempted” from the initial layoffs, but it remains unclear if this exemption covered all employees involved in bird flu efforts.
One USDA employee mentioned they are still awaiting confirmation from several colleagues on whether they will take the administration's offer to return.
The administration's push to rapidly reduce the size of the federal government, spearheaded by the White House and billionaire Elon Musk, has also delayed significant research initiatives aimed at combating bird flu and other animal diseases, as well as aiding livestock recovery.
As stated by the department’s spokesperson, "about a dozen … probationary employees whose roles were primarily administrative and were not deemed essential to the functions of the lab” were let go from the National Bio and Agro-Defense Facility in Manhattan, Kansas, which specializes in zoonotic and foreign animal diseases.
USDA’s U.S. Dairy Forage Research Center, a leading agricultural research establishment, has seen more than a quarter of its workforce eliminated due to the initial firings, jeopardizing millions of dollars in federally-funded research, according to two individuals familiar with the situation.
They reported that USDA has since asked some employees previously engaged with bird flu and several scientists to return to the center. Although some have returned this week, they lack necessary equipment, making it difficult for them to perform their tasks effectively.
Like in the case of NBAF, USDA has opted not to bring back supporting staff who are not leading scientists. The absence of such personnel has left Dairy Forage partially non-operational, as indicated by two sources.
Recently, the lack of a technician caused significant disruption: A machine primarily monitored by one of the terminated technicians, which tests certain plant and soil samples, caught fire, necessitating an evacuation of Dairy Forage employees.
Numerous research projects have been left incomplete, and uncertainty looms over whether those who were rehired will be able to resume the work that was previously in progress.
“If … they have projects that are ongoing, all of that work has now essentially been thrown out, discarded and dead in the water,” remarked Dr. Mary Beth Hall, a retired Dairy Forage researcher. “You’ve got God knows how many millions of dollars of research that’s just been thrown away.”
Navid Kalantari contributed to this report for TROIB News
