Federal Job Cuts Hamper Climate and Science Work

Agencies overseeing climate science and adaptation hit hard by 260,000 job losses

Published on Mar. 5, 2026

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One year after the Trump administration began an aggressive campaign to cut the federal workforce, some 260,000 positions had been eliminated as of January, with agencies overseeing climate science and adaptation particularly hard hit. The payrolls of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and the U.S. Geological Survey both shrank by around 20 percent, while the Department of Agriculture lost about 20,000 employees. The cuts have had tangible impacts, delaying farm payments, hampering weather forecasting, and reducing enforcement against major polluters.

Why it matters

The large-scale job cuts at federal agencies responsible for climate science, adaptation, and agriculture have undermined the government's ability to respond to pressing environmental challenges, from extreme weather events to conservation programs. This raises concerns about the long-term impacts on communities and the environment.

The details

The cuts have had real-world consequences, such as delays in emergency farm assistance after Hurricane Helene, difficulties for farmers accessing conservation programs, and gaps in weather forecasting and emergency response. Experts warn that the loss of scientific expertise and institutional knowledge will be difficult to replace, hampering the government's ability to address climate change and other environmental issues.

  • In early 2025, after the change in administration, there was an 'exodus of expertise' from local USDA offices.
  • In July 2025, a flash flood in Texas killed more than 100 people, with the National Weather Service lacking staff to provide timely warnings to local officials.
  • As of January 2026, around 260,000 federal positions had been eliminated since the start of the Trump administration's workforce cuts.

The players

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)

A federal agency that oversees climate science and weather forecasting, whose payroll shrank by around 20 percent.

U.S. Geological Survey (USGS)

A federal agency that conducts scientific research, including on climate change, whose payroll also shrank by around 20 percent.

U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA)

A federal agency that oversees farm assistance programs, food security, and conservation efforts, which lost about 20,000 employees.

Nicole DelCogliano

Owner of Green Toe Ground farm in Burnsville, North Carolina, which was severely damaged by Hurricane Helene.

Mary Carroll Dodd

Organic farmer at Red Scout Farm in Black Mountain, North Carolina.

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What they’re saying

“After the change in administration, early 2025 is when everything sort of fell apart.”

— Nicole DelCogliano, Farm owner (San Francisco Chronicle)

“It delayed a lot of payments because there just simply weren't people in the office to help the farmers apply for and process these applications.”

— Mary Carroll Dodd, Organic farmer (San Francisco Chronicle)

“Losing 18 percent of the staff who farmers in rural communities depend on is certainly as impactful as the tariffs for many, many farms.”

— Rebecca Schewe, Research and policy analyst, National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition (San Francisco Chronicle)

What’s next

The Department of Government Efficiency, led by Elon Musk, initially boasted it could reduce federal spending by $1 trillion, but one year later, federal spending has only gone up, raising questions about the long-term impacts of the job cuts.

The takeaway

The large-scale job cuts at federal agencies responsible for climate science, adaptation, and agriculture have undermined the government's ability to respond to pressing environmental challenges, with tangible impacts on communities and the environment. Restoring these critical functions will be a key priority for policymakers going forward.