Health and Human Services to cut 20,000 employees in restructuring plan

Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. says will allow them to do more while saving taxpayers’ money.

Tariffs are not the only topic on the Hill this week. The Department of Health and Human Services (HSS) will soon lay off thousands of workers under DOGE-led restructuring efforts. A move, Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. said in a press release, would allow the department to do more while saving taxpayers’ money.

Health and Human Services covers agencies like the FDA and CDC. Kennedy says he is releasing 20,000 workers from the Agency, 3,500 of whom will be from the FDA. Kennedy says the FDA will streamline operations while centralizing administrative functions.

The restructuring will cut the Department’s 28 divisions to 15 and could save just under $2 billion a year.

Related Stories
Pork producers should prioritize health and productivity gains, hedge feed and hogs selectively, and watch Brazil’s export pace and China’s sow policy for price signals.
AFBF Economist Danny Munch shares how passing the Whole Milk for Healthy Kids Act could give the dairy industry a needed boost.
Texas Cattle Feeders Association Chairman Robby Kirkland explains how the ongoing U.S.-Mexico border closure impacts feed yards that rely on Mexican cattle due to the New World Screwworm.
Record output, larger stocks, and softer exports point to a well-supplied domestic ethanol market as harvest progresses.
Host of RealAg Radio Shaun Haney discusses how the proposed reductions to agriculture programs in Canada’s new budget could affect research and support programs that farmers need.
Highly Pathogenic Avian Flu (HPAI) cases are rising. In the last week, seven commercial turkey, duck, and egg layer flocks were culled across five Midwest states and California.

LATEST STORIES BY THIS AUTHOR:

RealAg Radio host Shaun Haney shares insights from a recent study, discusses EV market access in Canada, and highlights other market opportunities top of mind for Canadian producers.
USMEF President and CEO Dan Halstrom shares how recent trade talks are influencing U.S. red meat global sales and the importance of key trade agreements like the USMCA.
Iowa Ag Secretary Naig recaps discussions surrounding a potential federal aid package for farmers and shares insights on producer sentiment in the Heartland.
Dr. Jeffrey Gold, President of the University of Nebraska, joined RFD-TV to discuss coping strategies for those aching joints.
FarmHER Katey Jo Evans of The Frozen Farmer joins us for a sneak peek of the latest episode of Dirt Diaries: The FarmHER + RanchHER Podcast.
Winter weather will challenge livestock producers working to rebuild their herds despite harsh conditions.