As egg prices soar in the United States due to avian influenza, the Trump administration faces backlash for laying off 25% of its response personnel during restructuring.
According to Politico, 25% of the National Animal Health Laboratory Network program staff were notified of their layoffs on Sunday under the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA).
This office, responsible for responding to avian influenza outbreaks, operates 58 laboratories nationwide with only 14 staff. Despite its small size, the media emphasized its crucial role in addressing animal disease outbreaks.
Keith Paulsen, director of the Wisconsin Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory, which is part of the network, stated that he was informed that testing and response to avian influenza would slow down following the layoffs.
Paulsen expressed concern that laying off staff when they are already short-handed would severely impair their ability to perform essential duties.
The USDA reports that over 100 million birds have been culled since the avian influenza outbreak in 2022, 22 million in the past month alone.
This has caused egg prices to reach an all-time high of $4.95 per dozen, leading to shortages in some grocery stores. The situation has become a significant challenge for the Trump administration, which has prioritized controlling inflation.
