House Ag Committee member concerned for USDA, federal officials
A U.S. House Ag Committee member says he’s concerned about how the rapid removal of federal employees could affect food security and availability.
Michigan Democrat Shri Thanedar tells Brownfield, “USDA may lose some very talented, experienced workers, staff, inspectors, who really understand the process and serve as a good quality control, all of this is in a danger of being lost,” he says.
About 20,000 federal employees are estimated to have accepted the administration’s buyout offer sent to 2.3 million federal workers asking for deferred resignations.
Thanedar also says President Trump’s tariffs and immigration tactics are going to raise food prices and stress the labor supply.
“Access to workers is going to be a big issue that some of the farmers in Michigan are concerned about,” he shares.
Thanadar is serving his first year on the committee representing the Detroit area where he says one in four families rely on nutrition programs.
“I understand why we cannot have young people, children, going to bed hungry because I did and I don’t wish that upon anybody,” he says. “Our children need to be well fed, they need to get nutritional food in their schools.”
He says he will be focused on maintaining funding and expanding nutrition benefits as part of his work on the farm bill.
By: Nicole Heslip
Source: Brownfield