Over 15,000 USDA employees have chosen to walk away from their posts, taking a bold resignation offer from the Trump administration.
The Daily Caller reported that this massive exodus, confirmed by a USDA spokesperson, signals a seismic shift in the department’s workforce. It’s a move that’s rattling the bloated bureaucracy left behind by years of mismanagement.
The Trump administration’s voluntary resignation program has slashed about 15% of the USDA’s workforce. More than 15,000 employees, primarily from agencies like the U.S. Forest Service and Food Safety and Inspection Service, opted for the deal. The program allows them to quit now but keep getting paid through September 2025.
The resignations began with a January 2025 program, where 3,877 employees signed on. A second wave followed, with 11,305 more agreeing to the terms by May 1, 2025. By Saturday, May 3, the total hit 15,182, according to the USDA.
The USDA oversees critical programs like food safety, farm loans, and rural broadband. Yet, years of reckless hiring under prior leadership left it overstuffed with employees it couldn’t sustain.
A USDA spokesperson called the department a “complete disarray” inherited from President Biden and former Secretary Tom Vilsack.
Secretary Brooke Rollins is spearheading the effort to fix this mess. She’s focused on making the USDA leaner and more effective for farmers, ranchers, and everyday Americans. “She will not compromise the critical work of the Department,” a USDA spokesperson told the Daily Caller.
The voluntary program, dubbed the Deferred Retirement Program, lets employees decide their path. “It’s a completely voluntary tool,” the USDA spokesperson said. This approach empowers workers while cutting costs and refocusing the agency’s mission.
The U.S. Forest Service took the biggest hit, with over 4,000 employees resigning. This agency, vital for managing public lands, now faces a steep staffing challenge. The loss could strain its ability to maintain forests and respond to wildfires.
The Food Safety and Inspection Service, which handles meat inspections and bird flu responses, lost 555 workers.
This reduction might raise concerns about food safety oversight. Still, the USDA insists its core functions remain intact under Rollins’ leadership.
The Natural Resources Conservation Service, which helps farmers with soil and livestock management, saw over 2,400 employees depart. The Farm Service Agency and county offices also lost 1,000 staff members. These agencies are crucial for supporting America’s agricultural backbone.
The Trump administration’s offer is a lifeline for employees in an overstaffed system. By paying them through September 2025, it softens the transition while clearing dead weight. This pragmatic move aligns with traditional values of fiscal responsibility.
Rollins’ vision is clear: prioritize the people who feed America. Farmers and ranchers, long neglected by elitist policies, are at the heart of her reforms. The USDA spokesperson emphasized this focus on “serving the American people.”
The resignations reflect a broader push to dismantle woke, inefficient bureaucracies. Years of unchecked growth under progressive leadership bloated the USDA beyond its means. Now, the department is being reshaped to serve the heartland, not coastal elites.
The Deferred Retirement Program is a win for taxpayers and workers alike. Employees get to choose what’s best for them, as the USDA spokesperson noted. Meanwhile, the department sheds unsustainable costs without forced layoffs.