8 sources·Health

Trump Administration Attempts to Rehire Fired USDA Officials Amid Bird Flu Outbreak

The Trump administration is trying to reinstate USDA employees after firing them in a cost-cutting measure during a severe bird flu outbreak affecting farm life and egg prices.

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The cuts are part of a larger, brutal effort by the Trump administration to slash federal agencies, and the cuts have imperiled other critical government and public services.
Trump admin. fires USDA staff working on bird flu, immediately backpedals
ARS Technica·1M
Reliable
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Center
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The agency aims to keep public safety positions filled during the flu battle, which has led to the culling of hens and sky-high egg prices.
USDA Confirms It’s Working to Reverse Terminations of Fired Bird Flu Workers
Epoch Times·1M
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Right
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Amidst mass layoffs across the entire federal government, the USDA isn't the first federal agency that has reversed course on certain terminations.
The USDA fired staffers working on bird flu. Now it's trying to reverse course
NPR·1M
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Center
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The outbreak is also forcing farmers to slaughter millions of chickens, leading to egg shortages and high prices for American consumers.
Days after firing USDA bird flu officials, WH trying to rehire them
Straight Arrow News·1M
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Center
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The USDA's job cuts come as the Trump administration is seeking to cut costs partly by reducing the size of the federal workforce.
USDA says it is trying to rehire bird flu experts the agency accidentally fired
CBS News·1M
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Center
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The USDA’s mistaken firings come as other federal agencies experience heavy job losses related to a voluntary buyout scheme and the firing of probationary employees, both carried out by the Trump administration.
US agriculture department says it accidentally fired bird flu officials
The Guardian·1M
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The job cuts come as President Donald Trump looks to reduce the size of government, working with the Department of Government Efficiency, led by tech mogul Elon Musk.
Employees Working on Bird Flu Response Accidentally Fired
Newsmax·1M
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Right
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The layoffs were a part of a cost-cutting mission across the US government by Trump and his Department of Government Efficiency (Doge) leader Elon Musk.
Trump administration trying to rehire USDA bird flu officials it fired
BBC News·1M
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Center
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Updated: Feb 19th, 2025, 6:21 PM ET

Summary

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The Trump administration recently rescinded terminations of USDA employees involved in the bird flu response after a cost-cutting initiative. The H5N1 outbreak has devastated poultry farms and led to a spike in egg prices. As more than 160 million birds are affected, experts warn of potential human transmission. The USDA emphasized its commitment to address the outbreak, revealing that several roles were initially cut by mistake. The agency continues to prioritize avian flu response amid concerns over mass federal layoffs, which have sparked debate over the administration's management of public health and safety.

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