WASHINGTON STATE – Recent layoffs at the United States Department of Agriculture’s Agricultural Research Service (USDA-ARS) have left researchers studying hops in Washington State out of jobs. The cuts have particularly affected the hops industry, with researchers at Washington State University (WSU) in Prosser, including Dr. Francisco Gonzalez, a prominent horticulturalist, losing their positions.
Hops, the flowers used to flavor and preserve beer, are crucial to the U.S. brewing industry. Gonzalez, who had been a Category 1 Scientist at USDA-ARS, was informed of his termination in an email late Thursday evening. He had been just over a month away from completing his three-year probationary period.
“I received the letter late Thursday night, around 8:30, stating that my job was terminated,” said Gonzalez. “I was only about a month and seventeen days away from finishing my probation period.”
Brandon Sandoval, Gonzalez’s technical assistant, also received a termination email, with both letters citing performance issues despite the proximity to the end of their probationary periods. Sandoval was roughly two months away from completing his term.
The layoffs come after years of lobbying by the U.S. hops industry for a USDA horticultural scientist. Maggie Elliot, communications director for the Washington Hops Commission and Hop Growers of America, highlighted the significant investment the USDA made in supporting hops research. The agency had allocated $1.6 million to establish the Hops Stress Physiology Lab at WSU, which included state-of-the-art facilities and a six-acre research hop plot.
“This was an investment of millions into building a state-of-the-art facility that served as the cornerstone of hops research for our industry,” Elliot said. “And now, all of that has been dismantled overnight.”
The USDA’s decision follows an announcement from U.S. Secretary of Agriculture, Brooke Rollins, who praised the agency’s “bold action” to curb wasteful spending. The USDA terminated 78 contracts, totaling over $132 million, with more than 1,000 additional contracts under review for potential termination.
Sandoval explained that the layoffs affected not only researchers but also maintenance staff, IT personnel, and administrators, all of whom work closely with farmers on various crops, including hops, grapes, cherries, and apples.
For Gonzalez and Sandoval, the layoffs have serious implications for the hops industry. They emphasized the critical role their research played in defending U.S. hops farmers, particularly in international trade negotiations. Without this research, Gonzalez warned, the industry could face higher costs and unjust trade barriers imposed by European partners.
“Our research helps prove that the issues farmers face are not their fault,” said Gonzalez. “This research was used to challenge unfair regulations and maximum residue levels imposed by our trade partners in Europe. If we’re not here, farmers will feel the financial impact, and consumers, especially beer drinkers, will see rising prices.”
Both Gonzalez and Sandoval expressed deep personal concerns as well. Gonzalez, who has two young children, faced the uncertainty of losing his job just as his family relied on his position for financial stability. “I don’t know how I’m going to pay for daycare, schooling, or even my mortgage,” he said. “We thought this was a permanent job, and now it’s gone.”
Despite multiple attempts to contact the USDA, USDA-ARS, and Washington State’s USDA office for comment, there was no response as of Monday, likely due to the federal holiday.
As the hops industry braces for the impact of these layoffs, the future of research and support for Washington State’s crucial agricultural sectors remains uncertain.
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