Federal Layoffs Hit U.S. Meat Animal Research Center in Clay Center, Nebraska

CLAY CENTER, NE., February 18, 2025 – Ag groups in Nebraska are urging lawmakers to fund agriculture research after federal layoffs hit close to home.

Several scientists are without jobs after federal layoffs hit the U.S. Meat Animal Research Center in Clay Center, Nebraska. Laura Field, executive vice president of the Nebraska Cattlemen, said the facility is the largest of its kind in the world and does important work there that revolutionizes the beef cattle industry.

According to reporting, the layoffs come in the wake of President Donald Trump's recent announcement to reduce the federal workforce. The Department of Agriculture stated it is "pursuing an aggressive plan to optimize its workforce by eliminating positions that are no longer necessary, bringing its workforce back to the office, and relocating employees out of the National Capital region into our nation’s heartland to allow our rural communities to flourish."

Field said work at the center includes challenges related to bovine respiratory disease, reducing sudden beef cattle deaths due to congenital heart failure, dramatically improved food tests for salmonella, improvements to heifer fertility and evaluation of beef cattle feed efficiency.

Field said the Nebraska Cattlemen have been in contact with the state's Congressional delegation. She said the facility is about more than just Nebraska, it is a revolutionary place for beef cattle research worldwide.

The University of Nebraska provides the operations staff responsible for animal care, but the center's long-term sustainability is uncertain. In addition to the research center, other USDA agencies, including the Natural Resources Conservation Service, are reportedly experiencing staff reductions.

Source: Western Ag Network