Trump-Driven USDA Resignations Hit 15% of Agency, Stoke Scrutiny

May 5, 2025, 3:57 PM UTC

More than 15,000 Agriculture Department employees have voluntarily resigned as part of the Trump administration’s effort to reduce the federal workforce, raising concerns from a key Democrat that essential services for farmers are at risk.

The departures account for about 15% of USDA’s total staff and were fueled by two offers to resign and be paid through September, according to a Friday readout of a USDA briefing with congressional staff obtained by Bloomberg Government.

“Federal services are deteriorating due to forced resignations of tens of thousands of civil servants,” House Agriculture ranking member Angie Craig (D-Minn.) said Monday at the ...

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