USDA Faces ‘Impossible’ Task in Overseeing Lab Animal Welfare Amid Shrinking Workforce
The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) is struggling to enforce the Animal Welfare Act, which safeguards nearly 800,000 laboratory animals, as staffing and resources dwindle.
A Silent Exodus—Veterinarians Among Thousands Leaving the USDA
In a quiet but sweeping shift within the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), more than 15,000 employees have opted for financial incentive programs designed to reduce the federal workforce. Among them are hundreds of veterinarians—public health guardians whose work is essential to protecting animal welfare, ensuring food safety, and responding to disease outbreaks like avian influenza.