The U.S. Department of Agriculture said it has fired 70 foreign contract researchers after a national security review intended to secure the U.S. food supply from adversaries including China, Russia, North Korea and Iran.
"USDA has completed a thorough review of individuals authorized to work on contracts with the department and identified approximately 70 individuals from countries of concern," a spokesperson said.
"The individuals working on these contracts from countries of concern will no longer be able to work on USDA projects."
U.S. Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins on July 8 had announced a farm security plan that included efforts to bar purchases of U.S. farmland by nationals of the four countries, and to terminate any existing research agreements with them. Rollins said the moves were necessary to secure the U.S. food supply.
“The contractors had worked at the Agricultural Research Service (ARS), the in-house research arm of the USDA,” said Thomas Henderson, President of the American Federation of Government Employees Local 1657, which represents ARS workers in Albany, California.
Most of those dismissed were Chinese post-doctoral researchers on two-year contracts with the agency,
EDITOR’S TAKE:
Oversight of how agencies conduct business and spend taxpayer dollars has been sorely missing for years. It is refreshing to see that they are finally beginning to take that responsibility more seriously. Of course, the release of these individuals could be a temporary setback, but if there is suspicion that their real motives or allegiance is to a hostile nation, that is justification for taking action. The ARS will recover, and the research will be completed. Do not fear. ARS has a great reputation for the quality of work and the benefits of that research to farmers across the country.
Be sure to check how you are prioritizing and communicating with customers in your area. Are you aware that livestock producers, especially beef and pork, are doing very well financially right now? Do you have specialty crops around you – they’re also doing quite well. They may have interest in shopping for that new AGwagon. Crop farmers are having the most challenges right now, so maybe emphasizing AgPack® savings to them would be wise.
