From now on, a cadre of Trump transition officials will decide key Agriculture Department actions, from budget and regulations to press releases and statements of policy, says a memo that routes major issues through the headquarters. The man temporarily in charge of USDA, career civil servant Michael Young, said the memo is similar to one issued in the first days of the Obama administration and is intended to assure a consistent message from a far-flung department.
Incoming administrations traditionally move to put their voice into the work of federal agencies, partly by restricting who can speak on behalf of the government or make decisions about its programs. Just as routinely, employees chafe at the rules laid down by newcomers.
“Over the next few weeks, we can expect there will be new priorities and direction coming from our policy officials,” says Young’s memo to USDA executives. For now, policy-related activities will be decided at the very top level, with Trump’s “beachhead team.” Team leader Sam Clovis, a senior advisor to Trump during the campaign, approved the memo before it was sent, putting the weight of the new administration behind it.
During a tele-conference, Young swatted down reports that the new administration was muzzling USDA scientists. The Agricultural Research Service had told employees not to issue “any public-facing documents.” Young said his memo overrode the ARS announcement.
“My guidance has to do with policy-related announcements,” Young told reporters, and does not apply to routine USDA functions. “I’m not reviewing science journal articles here.”
A 33-year USDA employee, Young was designated as acting deputy secretary – there is no agriculture secretary at present – when the Obama administration left office so there would be a decision-maker in place until a new secretary is confirmed by the Senate. Trump has tabbed former Georgia Gov. Sonny Perdue for the post.
Young said he used the Obama-era document as a template when drafting his memo. “This memo is not some creative-writing exercise,” he said with a laugh. “I don’t want any surprises on my watch.”
USDA has more than 90,000 employees, a budget of $150 million a year and a portfolio from food stamps and farm subsidies to national forests and soil erosion.
Meanwhile, Propublica reported that the new administration “has imposed a freeze on grants and contracts by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, a move that could affect a significant part of the agency’s budget allocations and even threaten to disrupt core operations ranging from toxic cleanups to water quality testing.” And The Hill newspaper cited a report that EPA employees were banned from speaking to reporters or giving social media updates.
“I don’t think it’s any surprise that when there’s an administration turnover that we’re going to review the policies,” said White House press secretary Sean Spicer. As for a gag order at EPA, he said, “I don’t have any information about this.”