The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) has admitted to accidentally firing “several” agency employees involved in the federal government’s response to the recent bird flu outbreak.The H5N1 avian flu outbreak has severely impacted commercial and wild poultry flocks across the U.S. in recent months.As a result, egg prices have surged, with The Economic Times reporting that a dozen eggs are being sold for as much as $10 in some grocery stores.The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has confirmed 68 cases of bird flu in humans across the country, including a woman in Wyoming who has since been hospitalized.
The price of chicken eggs has skyrocketed due to the bird flu outbreak
Meanwhile, the United States Department of Agriculture Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (USDA APHIS) has reported 36 new infected cattle herds across 30 states, bringing the total outbreak to 972 cattle herds in 17 states.The USDA continues to address the outbreak, with several agencies within the Agriculture Department playing a key role in the response.This includes the Agricultural Research Service, the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, and the National Animal Health Laboratory Network.Some staff at the latter—which Politico reports plays a major role in responding to animal disease outbreaks—were reportedly terminated by mistake.Keith Poulsen, director of the Wisconsin Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory, stated that three employees at USDA’s National Animal Health Laboratory Network had been let go.He also noted that the situation was “creating a lot of problems” for the team.In response to the firings—marking the latest under President Donald Trump’s administration—a USDA spokesperson stated that the department is working “swiftly” to rehire those affected by the layoffs.
It’s the latest round of firings by the Trump administration
“Although several positions supporting [bird flu efforts] were notified of their terminations over the weekend, we are working swiftly to rectify the situation and rescind those letters,” a USDA spokesperson told NBC News.“USDA’s Food Safety and Inspection Service frontline positions are considered public safety roles, and we continue to hire the necessary workforce to ensure the safety and adequate supply of food in fulfillment of our statutory mission.”Last weekend, Reuters reported that the Trump administration had terminated 1,165 employees at the National Institutes of Health, with additional cuts also occurring at the Food and Drug Administration.Regarding the layoffs—led by Elon Musk and the U.S. Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE)—Republican Representative Don Bacon of Nebraska warned that more caution is needed.“There’s an old saying: ‘Measure twice, cut once,’” he said.“Well, they are measuring once and having to cut twice. Some of these decisions they’re going to have to reverse. I just wish they’d make a better choice upfront.”
