U.S. Department of Agriculture
FARGO (KFGO) – A former North Dakota USDA Agriculture Research Services employee who was let go from the agency after mass layoffs of probationary federal employees by the Trump Administration was devastated to find out they lost their job.
The former employee, who does not want to be identified, was notified by email along with around 800 other ARS employees.
Prior to the notification Friday morning, the former employee says there were talks of reductions, but the layoffs seemingly came “out of the blue.” The emailed letter from the USDA says since the employee is in a probationary – trial period, the employment status is not final. It goes on to say the agency finds that, based on performance, their further employment would not be in the public interest.
However, the email closes by saying the agency appreciates the employee’s service and wishes them the greatest of success in their future endeavors.
The former employee tells KFGO News their performance had been rated “fully successful” across the board.
In a statement, newly sworn in U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins said she welcomes the work being done by the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE).
“We know that its work makes us better, stronger, faster, and more efficient,” Rollins said. “I will expect full access and transparency to DOGE in the days and weeks to come.”
The former employee said the cuts will mean more work for the remaining employees and much slower service for stakeholders.
“I would think that no one wants our farms and agriculture to suffer,” the former employee said in a statement. “That’s not a great way to ‘Make America Great Again.”
A representative for an employees union said they plan to fight the cuts.
It’s not a question of providing good service to the general public, but providing any service to general public with any agency the public will need. It’s unfortunate the next generation of federal employees will be pushed out of work, and the ones that are left in the federal civil service will have to do more “heavy lifting” to even get back to the starting line. Trump is lying to the public about government agency efficiency with these cuts. He and everyone one of his hand picked cronies including the Sec of Agriculture, Rollins, is a bald face lier on how services will improve. Those feds that were union members, it is time to light a fire under union leaders butt and get them motivated with legal actions.
Absolutley agree with this. People are being lied to. Employees are being fired under false pretenses. Combat veterans are being fired. Trump voters are being fires as well (yay). Of course, they always fire at the bottom, where the public feels the affects of no staff, never at the top. I listened to the hearing this morning for enjoining Musk and the DOGE. When asked, the government lawyer actually said he was unaware of the thousands of people that have been fired and that noone in the administration had been given direction to take those actions. Even the judge called the lawyer out on it and he chuckled. I advise every member of the public to file congressionals when their public bathrooms go uncleaned and there is no toilet paper and human feces are left everywhere, when trailhead close trails go unmaintained and permit requests go unprocessed. Leadership has been absolutley silent on all of this, as they cower under Trump and President Musks stampede through these agencies.
Do you even work in the industry? Your comment suggests it’s a “no”. The “heavy lifting” is standing beside a conveyor line and watching meat or produce go by. More senior IIC inspectors spend 95% of their time at a desk doing “trainings” to keep up with the near daily regulations that come down. Is the job fun? No, it’s not. But it is also not physically demanding in any way. Their presence wouldn’t be necessary at all if the population weren’t so incredibly ignorant they had to be told 6 places on a label that Milk is “Dairy” or Ground beef is made from beef. It truly goes beyond stupidity.
Facts are most federal workers must face reality..perform or be gone..they are no different than ones that dont have government jobs..Trump doing what’s needed done for a long time
It is painful, no doubt, to lose a job. And everyone thinks they do valuable work.
Federal government cost reductions are essential. Debt has grown too rapidly. Provisional employees have the least seniority and can be released more simply. This allows money to be saved more quickly. It may seem messy and unfair, but it really is the only way to gain traction in turning around the bloated beast of our Federal debt.
I applaud the fast track actions being taken.
Boo hoo! Welcome to private sector life. Happens every day in private sector and NO ONE writes articles about a person who “didn’t see it coming”. Cry me a river. That’s life.
For too many years almost every Federal agency has become bloated. The USDA has subsidies way too many subside programs.
Farm loan hail grazing fire planting rules. Itr way out of control. We get paid not to grow crops.