The recent extensive layoff of scientists from the Department of Agriculture has disrupted critical research projects, according to both former and current employees of the agency. The affected scientists were engaged in initiatives aimed at enhancing crop production, combating pests and diseases, and evaluating the impact of agricultural practices on climate change. Experts have expressed concerns that these layoffs could potentially jeopardize billions of taxpayer dollars allocated to farmers to support conservation practices.
The layoffs at the USDA are part of a broader initiative by the Trump administration to dismiss federal employees, particularly those still in their probationary periods prior to achieving full-time status—a period that can extend up to three years for USDA scientists. Although the agency has not disclosed precise numbers regarding the dismissals, estimates suggest that several hundred staff members from crucial scientific subagencies were let go, as well as approximately 3,400 employees from the Forest Service.
Notification of the layoffs was communicated to the employees via a blanket email sent on February 13, as reported by WIRED. The email stated, “The Agency finds, based on your performance, that you have not demonstrated that your further employment at the Agency would be in the public interest.”
A former employee described the period leading up to the layoffs as “chaos,” noting that the USDA temporarily halted and then restarted activities related to the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) as directed by the Trump administration and subsequently a court order. This act, passed in 2022 under President Joe Biden, earmarked substantial federal funds for climate policies. The former employee, involved with IRA-related projects and choosing to remain anonymous, cited frequent interruptions that hindered their work efficiency.
The IRA allocated $300 million to the USDA for activities such as measuring carbon sequestration and greenhouse gas emissions in agriculture, supporting the $8.45 billion in subsidies designated for the Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP). This program encourages farmers to adopt environmentally beneficial practices like cover cropping and improved waste storage. However, according to Reuters, at least one contracted farming project funded by EQIP has been paused under the current administration.
The allocated $300 million was intended to establish a network for monitoring agricultural greenhouse gases, assessing the effectiveness of conservation practices funded by EQIP and other large-scale conservation initiatives. Emily Bass, associate director of federal policy, food, and agriculture at the Breakthrough Institute, noted that this work was partly being conducted by the National Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) and the Agricultural Research Service (ARS), both heavily impacted by the federal layoffs.
“This involves a significant amount of taxpayer money, and the quantification efforts by ARS and NRCS are crucial for evaluating the genuine impact of these programs on emissions reductions,” stated Bass. “Halting or undermining these efforts midway represents a substantial waste of resources already expended.”
A current ARS scientist, speaking anonymously to WIRED due to restrictions on speaking to the media, reported that approximately 40 percent of scientists from their unit along with several support staff were dismissed. This has left many projects, planned over five-year cycles and requiring meticulous specimen monitoring, in disarray. “In the short term, we can maintain the material, but without personnel dedicated to the project, sustaining it long-term is uncertain,” the scientist explained.
