My husband was fired from his federal job helping farmers just because he was new | Opinion
.jpg "Grace Peven’s husband was recently terminated from the Natural Resources Conservation Service. Thousands of federal employees were suddenly fired in their probationary period by the Trump administration.")
My husband who worked for the USDA Natural Resource Conservation Service (NRCS) in rural Idaho was suddenly and without notice fired from his job on February 14.
We no longer have an income or health insurance, and we had no notice to plan for this.
His termination letter indicated that “The Agency finds, based on your performance, that you have not demonstrated that your further employment at the Agency would be in the public interest.” Yet their finding is contradicted by the fact my husband had an excellent performance review..
There is no legal basis to fire him other than he was a “probationary” employee, meaning he had worked for the federal government for less than a year. His own boss was completely blindsided by the decision and had no idea he would be fired.
My husband was not alone. Across the county, thousands upon thousands of federal employees with probationary status were suddenly fired without notice, severance or continued healthcare.
His co-worker who had recently moved across the country for this position was also fired. She is a veteran who served years in the Army.
Other probationary colleagues of my husband’s who took the buyout offer (the fork in the road email) were also fired on Friday and informed they no longer qualify for the buyout and won’t receive any pay.
This is how we treat our veterans? This is how we treat our working-class people?
Not only is it inhumane and cruel to fire someone without a legitimate reason, prior notice or offer of severance, but these federal layoffs are going to hurt our economy, especially in rural areas. The diminished capacity of federal agencies like NRCS to provide essential assistance and services to rural agricultural communities will negatively impact our local economy, environment and food supply.
My husband’s job with NRCS was to work with farmers, ranchers, and landowners in rural Idaho to help them improve their land and farming practices. This agency was created in the 1930s after the Dust Bowl to help farmers reduce soil erosion and improve production.
It’s important to know that these are entirely voluntary and popular federal programs my husband worked with. Each day, farmers and landowners would walk into his office and ask for help to improve their crop production, cattle watering systems, soil health, invasive weed removal, etc. He would offer guidance and expertise on best practices and build long-term relationships with community members.
He loved his job. He loved learning about the issues landowners and producers faced in rural Idaho, and he loved building relationships with these people. He’s devasted not only because we don’t have an income now, but because he really loved what he did.
My husband grew up in a rural Idaho town of 500 people where like many Idahoans, he enjoyed fishing, hunting and hiking with his family. His dream has always been to work on behalf of the landscapes he grew up loving.
The decisions being made at the highest levels of our government are careless and without regard for the lives and livelihoods of working-class people. These actions are not draining the swamp, they are draining the dreams and livelihoods of our young Idahoans.
This story was originally published February 20, 2025 at 4:00 AM.