USDA chief says agency is trying to fill key jobs after paying 15,000 to leave

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is facing operational and strategic challenges following the departure of 15,000 employees, who resigned in exchange for their salaries and benefits through September. The agency is now actively recruiting to fill critical positions, which were left vacant by the exodus of workers. This move was part of the Trump administration's efforts to streamline the federal government and reduce headcount. The USDA is among the agencies that invited employees to quit their jobs through a deferred resignation program, which was presented to the entire federal workforce twice, in January and April. The agency is now working to address the vacancies by considering the rehire of some employees who had taken the deferred resignation offer. The USDA's Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS), which was significantly impacted by the program, is particularly affected, as it lost a significant number of employees. The agency is crucial for ensuring the safety of American agriculture by inspecting goods entering the country, and its operational efficiency is now under scrutiny. The USDA's strategy to fill these positions is part of a broader effort to maintain the agency's functionality and meet its mission objectives after a significant reshaping by the federal government.