The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) says that it accidentally fired a handful of employees who were critical to its response efforts to an ongoing avian flu outbreak. 

A USDA spokesperson told NBC News that the department is now attempting to "swiftly rectify the situation" by rescinding the resignations for several employees, although it's unclear exactly how many workers were inadvertently laid off as part of broad cuts to federal departments led by Elon Musk's Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE). Several of the jobs that were eliminated were reportedly part of agencies inside the USDA that provide research and data on avian flu, including the National Animal Health Laboratory Network and the Agricultural Research Service. 

Speaking to NBC News, Republican Congressman Don Bacon admonished DOGE for the misstep, stating that "they need to be more cautious." 

“There’s an old saying, ‘Measure twice, cut once.’ Well, they are measuring once and having to cut twice," he said. "I just wish they’d make a better decision up front.”

U.S. farms have been battling a bird flu epidemic for the last three years, culminating in record egg prices in January 2025, when the average cost for a dozen eggs rose to $4.95. Since 2022, more than 160 million birds have been affected by the disease, including 34 million egg laying hens that have been slaughtered since the start of December 2024. 

This also isn't the first time in recent weeks that a federal agency has had to scramble to rehire essential workers who were let go at DOGE's behest. The National Nuclear Administration — which oversees the U.S. nuclear arsenal — similarly had to rescind termination letters for fired workers in early February, and according to BBC News, has struggled to make contact with the affected employees in the days since. A combined 10,000 workers have been laid off across the federal government since President Trump took office, in addition to another 75,000 who accepted an offer to voluntarily leave their roles.