Thousands of federal agriculture probationary employees terminated. USDA warns, 'This is just the beginning.'

(Photo by Chris Clayton, DTN)

In an effort described as "optimization," thousands of Department of Agriculture employees were fired last week, reports Chris Clayton of Progressive Farmer. "The job cuts were part of a broader effort by the Trump administration to reduce the federal workforce. The administration moved to terminate most of the estimated 200,000 probationary employees."

Federal firefighters escaped termination, but "3,400 Forest Service employees were let go," Clayton writes. In response to questions, the USDA released a statement that "explained the cuts as part of a plan to 'optimize its workforce by eliminating positions that are no longer necessary. . . . Per the President's directives, Secretary Rollins will lead a new era of USDA to ensure that it is the most efficient, nimble, and innovative department . . .'"

In addition to labor cuts, the USDA "terminated 78 contracts, which totaled more than $132 million," Clayton reports. "The USDA's press office added, 'This is just the beginning. Over the next few days and weeks, Secretary Rollins will have the opportunity to review thousands of contracts, grants, cooperative agreements and spending across the agency to ensure that every dollar is being spent as effectively as possible to serve the people, not the bureaucracy.'"

Everett Kelley, national president of the American Federation of Government Employees, told Clayton, "This administration has abused the probationary period to conduct a politically driven mass firing spree, targeting employees not because of performance, but because they were hired before Trump took office. . . . There is no evidence these employees were anything but dedicated public servants."