More than 15,000 USDA employees take financial incentive to leave Trump's incentive program aims to shrink federal workforce5 May 2025 5 May 2025 2 minute read 2 minute read By: By: Global Ag Media North AmericaMore than 15,000 US Department of Agriculture (USDA) employees have taken one of the Trump administration's two financial incentive offers to leave the agency, according to a readout from a USDA briefing with congressional staff seen by Reuters. President Donald Trump's administration has offered federal employees several months of pay and benefits if they opt to leave their jobs as part of his effort with billionaire ally Elon Musk to shrink the federal workforce. A USDA spokesperson confirmed the total number of staff departures and said Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins is working to make the agency more efficient. Also leaving are 555 employees of the Food Safety Inspection Service, which ensures the safety of the US meat, poultry and egg supply. Across federal agencies, more employees opted for the second incentive program, citing exhaustion and uncertainty about whether they would be fired.