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USDA says it will prioritize frontline FSA, APHIS and firefighting jobs after 15,000 deferred resignations
Summary
Secretary Brooke Rollins told senators the department is recruiting to refill critical county‑level FSA offices, APHIS veterinarians and wildland firefighting and that deferred resignations do not equal firings. She also said an announcement on planned relocations of some USDA functions is forthcoming.
Secretary Brooke Rollins told the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Agriculture that roughly 15,000 USDA employees accepted a deferred resignation option and that the agency is actively recruiting to refill mission‑critical positions.
"None of those people were fired," Rollins said, adding that many of the departures were deferred resignations and that USDA is prioritizing re‑hiring in key operational areas. "If they want to come back and if they were in a key position, then we would love to have that conversation," she told Senator Patty Murray.
Rollins said she signed a memorandum prioritizing frontline staff at Farm Service Agency county offices, APHIS veterinarians and wildland firefighters, and said it is not the administration’s plan to close FSA offices. She said there are approximately 4,500 FSA offices nationwide and that maintaining on‑the‑ground presence remains a priority.
Senators pressed about scientific staff at the Agricultural Research Service. Rollins acknowledged that the department’s workforce reductions were larger than typical annual attrition — she said USDA normally loses 8,000 to 10,000 employees annually — but characterized the recent departures as manageable and reiterated plans to protect critical research operations.
USDA reorganization and relocation
Senators asked about a plan to relocate parts of USDA away from Washington, D.C. Rollins said the department is "very close" to an announcement and that relocating staff closer to customers could be cheaper and improve service. She asked members to share suggestions for locations and said an announcement was forthcoming in the “coming weeks.”
Other operational issues
Senator Martin Heinrich pressed Rollins about a dispatch center in Silver City that coordinates air assets for wildfire response; Rollins said USDA has been in conversations with GSA and would work to keep mission‑critical centers operational for the coming wildfire season.
Why it matters: County FSA staff, APHIS personnel and wildland firefighting units provide daily operational support that producers depend on for loans, program enrollment, animal disease responses and disaster operations. Gaps in staffing or local offices can slow assistance and increase risk during wildfire or animal‑health emergencies.
Follow‑up: Rollins asked senators to identify specific vacancies or programs where they see service gaps; the department said it would target recruitment to prioritized positions and follow up with committee staff on specific staffing questions.
