USDA
Nearly 6,000 USDA workers fired by Trump ordered back to work for now
The U.S. Department of Agriculture must temporarily reinstate nearly 6,000 probationary employees fired since Feb. 13, according to a ruling by the Merit Systems Protection Board.
A military vet and a scientist were securing America’s food system. Trump fired them
More than 10,000 federal employees who had yet to complete their probationary periods have been fired by the Trump administration, including those who work to protect American agriculture.
Black farmers among those left in limbo amid federal funding freeze
The federal government has historically discriminated against Black farmers. The recent funding halt from the Trump administration presents yet another hurdle to those who have spent decades fighting for equity in farming.
The USDA fired staffers working on bird flu. Now it’s trying to reverse course
The USDA says "several" staffers working on the bird flu response were terminated over the weekend, and "we are working to swiftly rectify the situation and rescind those letters."
These 3 farms are an example of Mississippi’s growing network of sustainable agriculture
A group of Mississippi farmers is taking advantage of more federal support for climate-smart agriculture, with plans to grow membership and train others.
The Gulf South’s rejection of the Summer EBT program puts further strain on child hunger issues
Mississippi, Louisiana and Alabama have opted out of the USDA’s Summer EBT program, but advocates say the need is far greater than one program.
Deadline approaches for USDA loan discrimination funds for underserved farmers
Gulf South farmers are racing to meet the deadline for DFAP. Some say the aid is a step in the right direction, but more needs to be done.
Alabama’s Federal Employees Return to Work as Federal Shutdown Is Temporarily Ended
Federal employees in Birmingham and across the state returned to work Monday after a record-setting, five-week partial federal shutdown that affected about 5,500 workers, almost 10 percent of the state’s 50,000 federal employees.
Uniontown Hopes to Finally Fix its Sewage Problem
The city of Uniontown is set to receive more than $31 million in mostly federal money to address a decades-old sewage issue. But some say the problem should have already been fixed.
Birmingham Pursues Two Federal Agencies to Fill Downtown Building
The City of Birmingham hopes the federal government will move two agriculture agencies to Birmingham and fill downtown office space that's been vacant since 2010.
