USDA fired the experts on invasive pests that can decimate crops

USDA pest experts were abruptly fired last month — swept up in the Trump administration’s frenzied and turbulent efforts to drastically shrink the federal workforce.

Jonah Ulmer was the federal government’s foremost authority on tiny invasive pests that most Americans have never heard of — but which can decimate crops across the U.S. 

Known as thrips and psyllids, the gnat-sized insects often sneak into the country on imported flowers and produce — and it was the job of Ulmer and his colleagues at the U.S. Department of Agriculture to identify and quarantine highly destructive species that appear on perishable goods during the inspection process required at U.S. ports of entry. 

But Ulmer was abruptly fired last month — swept up in the Trump administration’s frenzied and turbulent efforts to drastically shrink the federal workforce. He's one of at least 145 workers in plant protection alone who were terminated, including entomologists, soil conservationists and tree climbers who hunt for pests, according to a list of terminated job titles obtained by NBC News.

Overall, nearly 6,000 probationary workers — new employees who’d been on the job less than a year or workers who’d been promoted — were eliminated from USDA, including other highly trained scientists and technical staff stationed across the country to help customs officers screen imported items, identifying and quarantining those infested with dangerous pests. 

As the national taxonomist for thrips and psyllids, Ulmer knew there wasn’t a single person left at the agency with the expertise that he had — and he knows the consequences of making a mistake can be dire.   

https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/usda-fired-expert-invasive-pests-can-decimate-crops-rcna194913

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