‘We are actively looking’: USDA scrambles to rehire staff after Trump’s resignation program backfires

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is dealing with a major staffing problem after using a delayed resignation program, a plan put in place by the Trump administration to reduce the number of federal workers. This program led to more than 15,000 employees leaving their jobs while still receiving pay through September.

The sudden loss of so many workers has forced the agency to rush to fill important positions, raising worries about how well the department can function and the loss of valuable experience. According to NPR, Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins spoke about the department’s hiring efforts during meetings with the Senate and House Appropriations Committees. She admitted that the USDA needs to bring back workers for key roles and talked about the current push to rehire frontline staff.

The fact that the department is now quickly trying to replace experienced employees who have been encouraged to leave has caused confusion. Senator Patty Murray, the leading Democrat on the Senate Appropriations Committee, pointed out the contradiction in letting experienced workers go and then having to replace them right away.

USDA is trying to hire employees to replace those who were let go

There are also conflicting stories about how the delayed resignation program was carried out. Rollins claimed that important staff were not part of the second round of the program in April, but this does not match what some USDA employees say happened. One worker who took the delayed resignation offer said they were upset to see their old job posted again right after they left.

They felt pressured into resigning because of earlier warnings about large-scale job cuts. Another employee from the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) backed up this claim, sharing details that directly contradict Rollins’ statements. This worker explained that they left under the program in April and saw IT staff struggling to handle all the equipment being returned by departing employees.

The difference between Rollins’ statement that APHIS was not part of the April resignations and the reports from APHIS employees who say they left under the program is hard to ignore. The National Association of Agriculture Employees (NAAE) added to these concerns, estimating that several hundred of its members in APHIS’ Plant Protection and Quarantine program may have taken the delayed resignation offer in April. The USDA did not answer questions asking for clarification on these inconsistencies.

These events show the possible unexpected results of the Trump administration’s larger plan to cut the federal workforce. The delayed resignation program was meant to save money, but instead it has caused a serious staffing shortage at the USDA, which could interfere with important agricultural services.