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USDA STAFF REDUCTIONS IMPACTING BARLEY RESEARCH POSITIONS
The workforce reductions at USDA is impacting barley research positions as well as other USDA services and programs. Several federal positions within the Agricultural Research Service (ARS), including barley researchers, postdocs, technicians, and support staff, were terminated. These cuts have impacted barley research locations, such as the Cereal Disease Lab in St. Paul, Minnesota, and the Cereal Crops Research Unit Malt Quality Lab in Madison, Wisconsin. The immediately affected employees were on probationary status, with these periods ranging from six months to three years, depending on the position. Some research staff terminations have been reversed, but it remains unclear which specific positions will be reinstated and which employees will choose to return. The loss of these researchers and support staff could disrupt ongoing research and collaborative efforts and creates uncertainty for barley and other research functions going forward.
USDA ARS staff indicated that an impact analysis on the staff reductions would occur with the potential for positions to be reinstated. They indicated that, in addition to the probationary employees that were terminated, there is also the pool of employees that will accept the deferred resignation offer. The number and specifics of the deferred resignations is still in process and outcomes not yet fully known. Over the course of this week, news reports of some positions that are being reinstated have trickled out and those reports suggest that the top categories of research positions as well as farm loan officers and positions associated with animal disease monitoring and response are among those in the initial reinstatements or offers to be re-hired. It was also reported that Members of Congress have been meeting with the White House, Elon Musk and the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) on these actions.
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