Overview
- USDA ended contracts with roughly 70 research workers from China, Russia, Iran and North Korea as of July 18.
- A July 8 memorandum bars USDA staff from co-publishing with or attending events organized by nationals of those countries without agency approval.
- The Agricultural Research Service has already lost over 17% of its workforce after more than 1,200 departures earlier this year.
- A federal hiring freeze through October 15 prevents replacing the dismissed researchers and forces suspension of key scientific projects.
- Union leaders warn the staffing cuts could delay critical work on food safety, pest control and climate resilience by years.