Agriculture FertilizerAgriculture Fertilizer
  • Home
  • News
  • Management
  • Business
  • Insights
  • Crops & Livestock
  • Machinery
  • Technology
  • Weather
  • Trending
  • More
    • Web Stories
    • Press Release

Subscribe to Updates

Get the latest agriculture news and updates directly to your inbox.

What's On

Key Elements of EU–U.S. Trade Deal

July 29, 2025

Corn Condition ‘Excellent’ Rating Hits 7-Year High

July 29, 2025

U.S.-EU Trade Deal Applauded by Ag and Biofuel Leaders

July 28, 2025
Facebook X (Twitter) Instagram
Agriculture FertilizerAgriculture Fertilizer
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of use
  • Advertise
  • Contact Us
Facebook X (Twitter) Instagram
SUBSCRIBE
  • Home
  • News
  • Management
  • Business
  • Insights
  • Crops & Livestock
  • Machinery
  • Technology
  • Weather
  • Trending
  • More
    • Web Stories
    • Press Release
Agriculture FertilizerAgriculture Fertilizer
Home » More Than 15,000 USDA Employees Have Taken Trump Financial Incentive to Leave

More Than 15,000 USDA Employees Have Taken Trump Financial Incentive to Leave

May 5, 20252 Mins Read News
Share
Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Pinterest WhatsApp Email

By Leah Douglas

WASHINGTON, May 4 (Reuters) – More than 15,000 U.S. Department of Agriculture employees have taken one of the Trump administration’s two financial incentive offers to leave the agency, according to a readout from a USDA briefing with congressional staff seen by Reuters.

The sum represents about 15% of the USDA’s total workforce.

President Donald Trump’s administration has offered federal employees several months of pay and benefits if they opt to leave their jobs as part of his effort with billionaire ally Elon Musk to shrink the federal workforce.

At the USDA, 3,877 staff signed contracts in the agency’s first Deferred Resignation Program in February and 11,305 signed contracts in the second round in April, for a total of 15,182 resignations, according to the readout of the Friday morning briefing.

The numbers could rise over the next month because employees over 40 were given more time to decide whether to leave, and some who opted to leave have not yet signed contracts, said the readout.

A USDA spokesperson confirmed the total number of staff departures and said Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins is working to make the agency more efficient.

Rollins has exempted 53 position classifications from the ongoing federal hiring freeze, including wildland firefighters, veterinarians and food safety inspectors, to ensure critical agency functions continue, the spokesperson said.

More than 260,000 people across the federal civilian workforce have been fired, taken early retirement, earmarked for termination or accepted buyouts since the start of Trump’s second term in office. That represents about one tenth of the federal civilian workforce.

Those leaving include 674 county employees of the Farm Service Agency who directly serve farmers in offices across the country, and 2,408 staff of the Natural Resources Conservation Service, which provides technical assistance to farmers and manages working land conservation programs.

Rollins has said frontline staff, like those at FSA, will not be affected by any forthcoming reductions by the agency.

Also leaving are 555 employees of the Food Safety Inspection Service, which ensures the safety of the U.S. meat, poultry and egg supply.

Some of the 1,377 staff departures from the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service will affect the agency’s response to bird flu.

Across federal agencies, more employees opted for the second incentive program, citing exhaustion and uncertainty about whether they would be fired.

More than 15,000 USDA staff have taken Trump incentive to leave the agency

(Reporting by Leah Douglas; Editing by Scott Malone, Rod Nickel and Michael Perry)

Share. Facebook Twitter Pinterest LinkedIn Tumblr Email

Related Posts

Key Elements of EU–U.S. Trade Deal

July 29, 2025 News

Corn Condition ‘Excellent’ Rating Hits 7-Year High

July 29, 2025 News

U.S.-EU Trade Deal Applauded by Ag and Biofuel Leaders

July 28, 2025 News

U.S. Corn Futures Hit Two-Week Low; Soy Slides, Wheat Steadies

July 28, 2025 News

Brazil Scrambles as U.S. Tariff Deadline Looms, Talks Stall

July 28, 2025 News

Chicago Soybeans Drop on Abundant Global Supply, Wheat and Corn Also Fall

July 28, 2025 News

Leave A Reply Cancel Reply

Don't Miss
News

Corn Condition ‘Excellent’ Rating Hits 7-Year High

By staffJuly 29, 20250

Today, USDA published the 17th Crop Progress report of the 2025 growing season. Here’s a look at…

U.S.-EU Trade Deal Applauded by Ag and Biofuel Leaders

July 28, 2025

U.S. Corn Futures Hit Two-Week Low; Soy Slides, Wheat Steadies

July 28, 2025

Brazil Scrambles as U.S. Tariff Deadline Looms, Talks Stall

July 28, 2025

Subscribe to Updates

Get the latest agriculture news and updates directly to your inbox.

Our Picks

Chicago Soybeans Drop on Abundant Global Supply, Wheat and Corn Also Fall

July 28, 2025

U.S. July Cattle Herd Smallest Since 1973

July 28, 2025

$700M Soybean Crushing Operation to Start in Nebraska’s David City by Late August

July 26, 2025

Cargill Expands Eddyville Plant to Produce a Bio-Based Alternative to Petroleum Materials

July 26, 2025
Agriculture Fertilizer
Facebook X (Twitter) Instagram Pinterest
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of use
  • Advertise
  • Contact Us
© 2025 All rights reserved. Agriculture Fertilizer.

Type above and press Enter to search. Press Esc to cancel.