Employees at the Department of Agriculture are bracing for a new round of staff reductions as well as a shakeup of programs and offices.
The department telegraphed some of the looming changes in a recent letter to staff, saying officials couldn’t predict which positions will remain or where they’ll be located — but that further cuts are coming and that many remaining employees will be relocated away from the nation’s capital.
“While final plans are still under development, USDA aims to be transparent about what employees can expect,” said the March 29 letter from Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins’ office.
But agency employees told POLITICO’s E&E News that uncertainty reigns as both the future of their own careers and how USDA will meet its public mission in the months and years ahead appear on shaky ground.
