Jens Asbjørn Bøgen
The researchers are foreigners from countries like China, Russia, North Korea and Iran.
The researchers are foreigners from countries like China, Russia, North Korea and Iran.
What is happening?
The US Department of Agriculture has dismissed around 70 contract researchers from nations deemed security threats—specifically China, Russia, North Korea, and Iran—following a national security review aimed at protecting the U.S. food supply.
Crackdown Follows New Farm Security Plan
This sweeping action comes shortly after Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins unveiled a new farm security strategy on July 8.
According to Reuters, the plan targets foreign ownership of farmland and severs research ties with individuals from designated adversary nations.
Researchers Barred from Future USDA Projects
A USDA spokesperson confirmed that those affected will no longer be allowed to work on any USDA-funded projects, citing national security as the primary concern.
The agency emphasized that it had conducted a comprehensive personnel audit.
Majority of Dismissed Researchers Were Chinese
According to union representatives, most of the researchers let go were Chinese post-doctoral scientists working under two-year contracts with the Agricultural Research Service (ARS), USDA’s internal research arm.
These individuals had already undergone initial vetting.
Staff Found Locked Out Without Warning
Thomas Henderson, president of the AFGE Local 1657 union in Albany, California, said some researchers arrived at work on July 9 only to find their building access badges had been deactivated—without prior notice or explanation.
Research Freeze Leaves Projects in Limbo
A federal hiring freeze, now extended through October 15, means USDA cannot fill the now-vacant positions.
As a result, several high-impact research projects—like one focused on developing a vaccine against a dangerous beef toxin—are now stalled indefinitely.
Long-Term Scientific Setbacks Feared
Union leaders warn the layoffs could cause major delays in critical research, setting back progress by years or even decades.
“We don’t have the talent now to progress on these research projects,” Henderson said according to Reuters.
ARS Has Already Lost Over 1,200 Staff
The Agricultural Research Service (ARS) has seen a significant drop in staffing in recent years, losing more than 17% of its 2024 workforce due to terminations and early retirement incentives introduced during the Trump administration.
New Rules Ban Publications with Foreign Nationals
In a memo dated July 8, USDA leadership ordered staff not to publish research co-authored with nationals from the four banned countries without prior approval.
They’re also barred from attending events organized by those governments.
Existing Research Under Review, Likely to Be Rejected
Current research papers under review will be scrutinized, and any collaborations with the four “countries of concern” are expected to be denied.
