The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is working to rehire several agency employees mistakenly terminated over the weekend while assisting in the federal response to the H5N1 avian flu outbreak, an agency spokesperson confirmed Tuesday.
The USDA stated that several positions supporting bird flu containment efforts were inadvertently included in recent layoffs. The department is now reversing those terminations to maintain critical food safety operations and ensure an adequate food supply, the spokesperson said.
The layoffs were part of broader workforce reductions under the Trump administration, which has implemented sweeping cuts to federal agencies. Despite these reductions, USDA leadership assured that public safety positions, including those in the Food Safety and Inspection Service, remain a priority.
“Although several employees working on bird flu response efforts were notified of their terminations, we are actively working to rectify the situation and rescind those letters,” the spokesperson said in a statement.
The Trump administration’s ongoing efforts to reduce the federal workforce have led to widespread terminations. These cuts, spearheaded by the U.S. Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) and tech billionaire Elon Musk, aim to streamline government operations. However, critics argue that abrupt layoffs could disrupt essential public health initiatives.
On Friday, the administration also sought to reinstate nuclear safety employees terminated the previous week but faced challenges contacting them due to missing updated information.
The layoffs coincide with a worsening avian flu outbreak, which has significantly impacted poultry farms nationwide. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has confirmed 68 human cases in the U.S., while USDA data indicates 151 affected flocks, totaling 23 million birds.
Egg prices have surged amid the outbreak, prompting concerns from lawmakers and industry experts. Keith Poulsen, director of the Wisconsin Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory, warned that the termination of key USDA staff from the National Animal Health Laboratory Network could undermine efforts to control the virus.
The House Agriculture Committee, led by Chairman Glenn “GT” Thompson (R-Pa.), has raised concerns about the layoffs’ impact on bird flu containment efforts. Some Republican lawmakers privately urged the Trump administration to reconsider, fearing the cuts could slow the federal response.
“They need to be more cautious,” said Rep. Don Bacon (R-Neb.), a committee member. “There’s an old saying: ‘Measure twice, cut once.’ Well, they are measuring once and having to cut twice. Some of these decisions will have to be reversed.”
Industry experts and lawmakers have also voiced concerns about reductions in programs that assist poultry farmers in minimizing bird populations near airports, which enhance aviation safety.
With Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins now confirmed, lawmakers and federal agencies await further clarification on the administration’s approach to USDA staffing and funding. The extent of additional reductions across the government, including cuts to National Institutes of Health (NIH) research grants, remains unclear.
The Trump administration has defended the layoffs, citing performance-related reasons in termination letters. However, some of the affected employees had received positive performance reviews, raising questions about the criteria used for job cuts.
