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The Guardian - US
The Guardian - US
World
Guardian staff and agency

US agriculture department says it accidentally fired bird flu officials

Bird Flu USDA
chickens on a farm
Chickens on a farm in Petaluma, California, on Tuesday. Photograph: Justin Sullivan/Getty Images

The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) said it accidentally fired several employees working on the H5N1 avian influenza, or bird flu, outbreak and is now trying to rehire them.

The about-face came after the USDA touted its plans to “optimize its workforce” by firing workers and terminating contracts, actions aided by billionaire Elon Musk’s unofficial agency, the “department of government efficiency” (Doge), NBC News reported on Tuesday.

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