The United States Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) affiliate discovered and canceled a bizarre grant this week, USDA Secretary Brooke Rollins announced.
DOGE has established more than two dozen affiliates aimed to help weed out waste in various government agencies. One of those is DOGE USDA, which held a meeting this week and discovered a $324,671 grant for what Rollins described as “Increasing DEIA Programming for Integrated Pest Management” — DEIA standing for “Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility.”
WATCH — Trump Considering Giving 20 Percent of DOGE Savings Back to Americans:
“You can’t make this up,” Rollins wrote alongside a facepalm emoji. She also posted info on the grant, with Iowa State University listed as the source.
The summary of the grant states that it aimed to “enhance diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility (DEIA) within Integrated Pest Management (IPM).”
“Acknowledging potential historical exclusion, the Regional IPM Centers align with USDA priorities to advance racial justice,” it reads, calling for the establishment of a DEIA foundation “via a steering committee and DEIA training for IPM staff.”
“The goal is to drive cultural change within the IPM discipline, fostering a more inclusive community reflective of the U.S. population,” it adds.
Live update from our @DOGE_USDA team’s meeting tonight 👇
— Secretary Brooke Rollins (@SecRollins) February 21, 2025
Look what we just found (and cancelled!): $324,671 grant for “Increasing DEIA Programming for Integrated Pest Management” … you can’t make this up🤦🏻♀️
cc: @DOGE @elonmusk pic.twitter.com/GOaYpIeM13
“Great work @SecRollins @USDA,” the main DOGE account wrote, lauding USDA for its efforts in eliminating blatant waste.
Great work @SecRollins @USDA https://t.co/X0vzqL72uy
— Department of Government Efficiency (@DOGE) February 21, 2025
All of these discoveries and savings come as many lawmakers publicly praise the taxpayer savings efforts, yet the Senate failed to pass Sen. Rand Paul’s (R-KY) amendment this week that would have cut spending by $1.5 trillion.
“The Senate, however, rejected the measure 74-26 with many Republicans joining Democrats to block the Kentucky conservative’s measure,” Breitbart News reported.
Paul has remained a steadfast proponent of getting rampant spending under control, telling Breitbart News Daily this week that it is necessary for Congress to pass a rescission package for the DOGE savings to mean something.
“None of the spending has really been eliminated, so they’re finding the waste, they’re talking about it, and it’s the same thing I’ve been doing for a decade, but it has to be sent back,” Paul said,
“When it comes back to Congress, it can be passed with a simple majority, Republicans only because we won’t get any Democrats. But then once we pass a bill getting rid of that spending, then the savings actually occurs,” he explained.
“Then the money goes back to the Treasury and [is] not spent. Right now, when they find waste, it’s still being spent. They’re temporary, delaying it or stopping it, but it hasn’t come back to the Treasury and won’t come back unless Congress votes on it. We can do this, but not enough people are talking about it,” the senator continued, contrasting this with impoundment, which he said will lead to legal woes.