Trump administration trying to rehire bird flu experts fired 'accidentally'
What's the story
The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) said it is trying to rehire bird flu experts who were accidentally sacked.
The terminations were included in cost-cutting measures proposed by the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), a project of President Donald Trump's administration and spearheaded by Elon Musk.
The USDA admitted to the blunder and said it is "working to swiftly rectify the situation and rescind those letters."
Agency action
USDA's response and future strategies
"Although several positions supporting HPAI were notified of their terminations over the weekend, we are working to swiftly rectify the situation and rescind those letters," a spokesperson wrote in a statement to NPR.
It also said it is "continuing to hire the workforce necessary to ensure the safety and adequate supply of food to fulfill our statutory mission."
The exact number of workers being rehired remains unclear, as does whether any were from the main USDA lab in Ames, Iowa.
Cost-cutting impact
Trump administration's cost-cutting measures and their implications
Last week, tens of thousands of federal employees were notified they would lose their jobs, and more layoffs and firings were being planned. The USDA was among them.
On Friday, the USDA announced what it called "the first tranche in a series of bold reforms," including "an aggressive plan to optimize its workforce by eliminating positions that are no longer necessary," in accordance with the DOGE's efforts.
Contract cancelations
USDA ends contracts, reviews more amid cost-cutting measures
Secretary Brooke Rollins backed DOGE's recommendations to weed out wasteful spending.
"I welcome DOGE's efforts at USDA because we know that its work makes us better, stronger, faster, and more efficient," Rollins said in a statement.
As part of its cost-cutting measures, the USDA has also terminated 78 contracts worth over $132 million and is reviewing another 1,000 contracts.
Outbreak consequences
Bird flu outbreak's impact on poultry industry and egg prices
The firing came amid the ongoing bird flu outbreak, which started in 2022 and has forced the euthanization of around 160 million birds, mostly egg-laying chickens.
The mass culling has pushed egg prices to an average of $4.95 per dozen.
To tackle this crisis, the federal government has allocated nearly $2 billion for mitigation efforts, including $1.2 billion as compensation to farmers for their losses.