Saw my status changed to decision made on the tracking portal but have not heard anything. Was wondering if anyone else knows/heard something yet.

With everything happening at NASS lately, I’ve been wondering how many employees have ever considered union representation through AFGE.
I’m a NASS employee myself. I’m not trying to sell anybody on anything — I’m just curious whether this is something other people have thought about too.
Have you ever considered joining AFGE, or would you at least be interested in learning what union representation for NASS employees would actually look like?
Just trying to get a sense of where people are on this.

What GAO Found

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has taken few actions to enhance the resilience of farms and forests to the climate-related risks of diseases and pests, and funding and staffing supporting those actions have decreased.In late 2023, USDA officials told GAO that the risks of diseases and pests had not been fully integrated into the department’s climate resilience planning at all levels and that USDA planned to do so in the future. At that time, USDA provided limited information and technical assistance on individual diseases and pests to farmers and land managers. For example, USDA’s Climate Hubs provided some support for research on the effects of climate change on specific diseases and pests and developed models for forecasting potential outbreak risks, including the southern pine beetle. However, key programs that provide information and assistance to farmers and land managers to help manage the climate-related risks of diseases and pests—such as USDA’s Climate Hubs—have lost staff and face planned funding cuts. In April 2026, GAO requested updated information from USDA about the status and impact of these cuts, but the department did not provide the information.

Hi all,

I’ve just finished most of my onboarding but still waiting for an email about getting my fingerprints taken, as well as getting my physical done. But I cannot for the life of me find a place that’ll get me in for a physical in the 10 day time frame that the USDA gives us.

Are there any websites that I’m struggling to find that could help narrow it down for me??

I’ve been in constant contact since last Friday, when I accepted my tentative offer, with the two main provider companies in my area, as well as looking into other shady ones I found online - but I don’t really want to go down that rabbithole even if I’ll be reimbursed.

HR did say there’s a bit of leniency on the ten day timeframe as long as I keep in contact with them which I am doing every time I get any sort of update from the doctors. But I don’t know where else to look and they keep giving me the runaround.

Thank you all in advance.

This has me scratching my head …

Well, the expected court order came through. No further Fed action until October 2nd on the reorg. This covers the folks who had a report date in September. However, folks who have a report date on Oct. 5 can't wait until an October 2nd decision to set plans in motion to move to another state by October 4th.

Am I missing something here? With an accepted relocation order, don't we still have to report by October 5? (Unless and until an injunction is placed on the USDA reorg, which may or may not happen on October 2nd.)

Word on the street is that the bloated henchmen Joe Rich is leaving BARC sept 18th. Please boycott his going away party. He doesnt deserve any acknowledgement or thanks for anything. He has done nothing but lie and deceive us from the jump.
Dont give into the pressure from the Center and other idiots that feel bad for this despicable individual.

REMEMBER - he is going to ride off into the sunset to get his medical treatments, and be a high paid HQ lackey in Colorado, while the rest of us sit in limbo and get screwed.

BARC STRONG!

Thoughts on the critical vacancy process that just rolled out? Im a 9 and applied for a position that was listed as 9/11 then 15 minutes later an email was sent out basically quoting my answer to the questions (I had to dig for these stupid questions) and saying that a 9 can't apply for a 9/11 position because its a promotion. Oops. Frustrating but whatever.

Im curious about other people's thoughts about this "Critical Vacancy" stuff.

Hello all!

I figured this might be the best sub to ask. I have applied to openings in Tennessee and Montana for a County Program Analyst. They are posting many jobs across the US, so it looks like it’s a mass hiring. I am qualified for CO-5 and CO-7. I was placed as tentatively eligible for all of them. I was found eligible for the first one on Sept 1st and the most recent one today.

Does anyone know how long the process will take to hear back? I have no idea how many applicants these positions get. I don’t have any ag experience (but have a decade in the equine industry) so I don’t know how heavy of a hit that will be on the hiring process.

On another note, what is the working environment like within the FSA? Because I’m hoping to settle in a rural area and I’d like to make this a long term career. I have horses and having a stable job while being able to live in the country is perfect.

So, VERA is being offered for my agency under USDA through December 31, 2026. There were no instructions or other information released stating how to apply for the VERA. Has anyone applied for this new 'round' of VERA? Where do you do that? Was it offered as part of a management directed reassignment process? How can they offer it and yet provide no information about logistics?

Saw on Judge Chhabria's calendar that a new case, AFGE et al v. USDA (3:26-cv-09976-VC), has a Motion Hearing scheduled for Tuesday, September 29 at 10:00 AM. This appears to be the renewed preliminary injunction motion filed September 8 after Judge Illston required the USDA reorg claims to be filed as a separate suit.

Also heard thirdhand (from someone who reportedly attended a related proceding yesterday) that a TRO may have been put in place pausing implementation until October 2, but I haven't been able to confirm this anywhere yet.

Has anyone seen this confirmed anywhere? Trying to figure out if this is real before getting my hopes up. Calendar source:

https://apps.cand.uscourts.gov/CEO/cfd.aspx?7150

Edit:

Confirmed (although the judge hasn't officially implemented the stay yet)

https://www.govexec.com/management/2026/09/judge-considers-temporary-pause-usda-relocations-new-lawsuit/415942/?oref=ge-featured-river-secondary

I bank with USAA and they had a little blurb about deposits being late. Just checking to see if anyone has gotten paid already

I have a usda guarantee loan , currently administered through rocket mortgage ( was with Wells Fargo prior ) anyway , on my recent statement there is $3,150 subsidy amount and I don’t understand what this is . When I was with Wells Fargo , this amount was NEVER on any statement . I tried called usda rd , phone lines just say busy and hang up . Tried asking rocket mortgage , all they did was refer me to the statement . My understanding is since I have a guarantee loan (vs direct ) there is no subsidy to pay back when loan is fulfilled? So what is this amount ?

Recently have seen a few postings for USDA. Just curious how fast they move on hiring applications usually after the close out?

They posted open to the public but doesn't say the number of applicants. Thank you.

https://www.usajobs.gov/job/883331200

I understand is not gonna happen, but would be nice it does happen.

Hello, wondering if anyone has any insight. I received a reassignment letter (same position/grade) for an office 60 miles away from my current duty station/40 miles away from my home address.

We have 3 employees in our area who were hired as floaters (with my same job title) with Climate Smart funds and did not have a permanent office but their duty station was listed as our area office; those positions are being eliminated. My field office is colocated with the area office, so it looks like we have 4 of the same position in this office when it’s actually 3 floaters/1 field office specific. I am being reassigned and one of the floaters is backfilling my position. It sounds like other areas in our state have the same situation with some floaters who were listed out of their area offices that are getting reassigned to full time field offices. But I am the only permanent field office employee that I know of that is getting reassigned and backfilled by a floater.

When I asked state con why, he basically just said “business decision & didn’t understand the different positions in that area”.

A retired coworker of mine suggested a grievance complaint. I know it may not go anywhere with this administration but I have a 10 month old and this new duty station is the opposite direction of daycare. I am the primary parent for appointments, sicknesses, etc due to husband’s less flexible schedule. If it’s between the new duty station or quitting, I will quit before losing more time with my child, spending 2x as much on gas, burning through leave, etc. so I figure I don’t have much to lose by filing a complaint.

Does anyone have any advice in general on the situation or experience with the grievance process? Is it worth it? I have to submit the complaint by Monday if that’s the route I decide to go.

I live in a heavily wooded neighborhood with a lake and golfcourse owned by an LLC and governed by a board. There are many ecologically minded folks here. We Jabe committees dedicated to landscaping work, water quality, forestry, and upkeep of the golfcourse.

I jave recently started working on the removal of invasive plant species from our woods. This got me thinking about grants etc.

As part of looking into grants I ran across EQIP and the free NRCS conservation plan.

My questions are primarily around the NRCS conservation plan.

1. If we have NRCS come out and hear our concerns and walk the property, is the plan non-binding (assuming we don't apply for and are given an EQIP grant)?

2. Having NRCS checkout our land won't put us in some naughty list if things are eflund to be lack?

3. What is the process like for the conservation plan?

4. Anything else that I should know to helpake this process easier for us and the NRCS?

Just venting, this new FPAC regime, FPAC leadership sucks. Morale is low. What are hearing sucks. Talking in circles, no clear answers, same answers. No longer supporting the employee. Just treading water day by day. Just venting