Rep. Tokuda Leads Colleagues in Urgent Request to Reinstate Terminated Agricultural Inspectors

Rep. Tokuda Leads Colleagues in Urgent Request to Reinstate Terminated Agricultural Inspectors | U.S. House Representative Jill Tokuda Skip to content Close Home About Biography Our District Votes And Legislation Committees & Caucuses Bipartisan Rural Health Caucus Bipartisan Congressional Coffee Caucus Services Help With A Federal Agency Tours And Tickets Internships Flags Art Competition Commendations and Greetings Military Service Academy Nominations Funding Requests Grant Applications Events Know Your Rights Disaster Assistance Programs for Flooding Victims Community Resources and Flood Response Guidance Media Op-Eds Press Releases In The News Videos Contact Email Me Scheduling Request Newsletter Subscribe Office Locations Website Problem Close SEARCH Congresswoman Jill Tokuda About Biography Our District Votes And Legislation Committees & Caucuses Bipartisan Rural Health Caucus Bipartisan Congressional Coffee Caucus Services Help With A Federal Agency Tours And Tickets Internships Flags Art Competition Commendations and Greetings Military Service Academy Nominations Funding Requests Grant Applications Events Know Your Rights Disaster Assistance Programs for Flooding Victims Community Resources and Flood Response Guidance Media Op-Eds Press Releases In The News Videos Contact Email Me Scheduling Request Newsletter Subscribe Office Locations Website Problem Modal Search Button Mobile Site Search Submit Search MENU Facebook Logo Twitter Logo BlueSky Logo Youtube Logo Instagram Logo Home Media Press Releases March 25, 2025 Rep. Tokuda Leads Colleagues in Urgent Request to Reinstate Terminated Agricultural Inspectors Washington, DC – Today, U.S. Representative Jill Tokuda (HI-02) announced she led 32 of her colleagues in a letter urging the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to urgently re-hire terminated Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) agricultural inspectors. Since February, USDA has terminated at least 5,692 probationary employees, including a reported 200 workers in the plant protection and quarantine program of APHIS. Court orders to reinstate employees have not immediately gone into effect, which has increased the risks of pests and invasive species decimating our nation’s agriculture and economy. “APHIS agricultural inspectors serve a critical role in protecting and preserving fragile environmental resources and ecosystems that we depend on to grow the food, fuel, and fiber this country runs on. In Hawaiʻi, we are an island state where we greatly depend on these inspectors to ensure a secure exchange of goods and to be the first and best line of defense against invasive species and other threats,” said Rep. Tokuda. “A lapse in the reinstatement of these important federal workers could cause significant and irreparable damage to our agriculture, environment, and economy.” To better understand and prepare for the impacts of a current decrease in the number of APHIS agricultural inspectors, the letter also requests more details about their termination and reinstatement, as well as measures to maintain a robust agricultural inspection operation in the future. The letter to the USDA can be found here . ### Print Email Share Tweet Previous Article Next Article About Services Media Contact Privacy Policy Facebook Logo Twitter Logo BlueSky Logo Youtube Logo Instagram Logo