The Trump administration is working to reverse the terminations of several USDA employees working on an agency response to highly pathogenic avian influenza.
A USDA spokesperson said several positions working on the response were fired last weekend. The spokesperson also said several of the positions were exempt from the recent cuts by Trump’s Department of Government Efficiency, led by Elon Musk. Reports say the positions that were in the process of developing a bird flu response included veterinarians, animal health technicians, and other emergency response personnel.
“USDA continues to prioritize the response to highly pathogenic avian influenza,” the spokesperson said. “USDA’s Food Safety and Inspection Service frontline positions are considered public safety positions, and we’re continuing to hire the workforce necessary to ensure the safety and adequate supply of food to fulfill our statutory mission.”
Bird flu continues to threaten poultry flocks, which is boosting egg prices.