More than 20,000 employees have left the Agriculture Department in the first half of the year largely due to the Trump administration’s deferred resignation program, according to a new report obtained by POLITICO.
The departures cut across all 50 states and U.S. territories and took place between Jan. 12 and June 14, USDA’s Office of Inspector General found in an analysis expected to be published later Monday. The Forest Service, which oversees millions of acres of federal land and manages fire prevention efforts, lost 5,860 workers and the Natural Resources Conservation Service, which helps farmers with soil health and other conservation practices, lost 2,673 workers — the highest number of exits across all of USDA’s agencies.
States like Rhode Island, Maryland, Alaska and Vermont were disproportionately affected by employee layoffs and resignations, though California and Texas saw the most departures, the report noted.
The Trump administration has sought to overhaul Biden-era climate-smart agriculture programs, federal nutrition programs and wildfire policy, including by weighing a potential move of the Forest Service’s headquarters. Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins is expected to reveal details of a major reorganization in 2026 that will likely lead to further employee departures and could affect USDA services.
