USDA’s woke boondoggle spent taxpayer dollars on DEI insanity

The billion-dollar diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) industry has infiltrated every sector of society, from corporate boardrooms to government agencies. In the public sector, it has morphed into a boondoggle, funneling taxpayer dollars into products and programs aimed at indoctrinating Americans under the guise of progress. A recent X post by Secretary Brooke Rollins at the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) exemplifies this overreach, exposing how the Biden administration politicized even the most basic agricultural resources — seeds — turning them into vehicles for DEI propaganda. 

Rollins recently posted an image of USDA tomato seed packets found behind a door emblazoned with the words, "These seeds are for growing, diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility at USDA." With the seeds were decorative note cards that stated: "If You Can Be Anything, Be Inclusive At USDA."  

The DEI seed initiative seems to have been an outgrowth of President Joe Biden’s Executive Order 13985, signed in January 2021, which mandated equity action plans across federal agencies. Biden’s EO was issued to encourage workers to seek ways of embedding DEI into their agencies. It no doubt is responsible for much government waste, and, as Rollins said, "There will be no more American taxpayer dollars spent on DEI initiatives or #WOKESEEDS at the @USDA." 

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In the meantime, farmers dependent on USDA to focus on its mission suffered along with other Americans. According to data gleaned from the U.S. Bureau of Labor, while farmers grappled with real challenges — food inflation surged 23.5% between February 2020 and May 2023, and fertilizer prices spiked 300% in 2022 — the USDA diverted resources to ideological endeavors. 

Under the Biden administration, the Department of Agriculture was more focused on DEI than farming. (Celal Gunes / Anadolu Agency)

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The department’s agenda ranged from items such as the seeds to a study with the claim, "It is also important to recognize that transgender men and people with masculine gender identities, intersex and non-binary persons may also menstruate." The result? Wasted taxpayer money and propaganda infiltrating even the seeds meant to grow America’s food supply. 

This isn’t just about a waste of taxpayer dollars; it’s a betrayal of public trust. During Biden’s tenure, farmers faced supply chain disruptions and regulatory burdens, yet the USDA prioritized DEI initiatives over practical support like securing food supply chains or reducing red tape.  

The absurdity of DEI seed packets — some users even questioned if they could be used to grow tomatoes — underscores the overreach of the previous administration’s woke agenda. A 2025 White House directive, which terminated all "Equity Action Plans" and related grants, labeled such initiatives as "immense public waste" and discriminatory, aligning with Rollins’ move to end this spending at the USDA. This policy shift, reinforced by the America First Investment Policy introduced in February 2025, redirects resources to agricultural innovation, not ideological agendas. 

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The USDA’s DEI seeds are a microcosm of a larger problem: the billion-dollar DEI industry has overstepped, using taxpayer dollars to push propaganda at the expense of practical governance. Rollin’s approach is balanced and practical. USDA should focus on food security over symbolic gestures like DEI seeds. Rollins’ decision to expose the waste and reassure Americans of her commitment to running a responsible Department of Agriculture is a healthy signal of a return to accountability that will ensure that taxpayer dollars support American farmers, not ideological indoctrination.  

Ferreting out wasted funds that undergirded the politicized agendas of the Biden administration sends a strong message to other federal agencies that they too need to closely examine their agencies. This should guarantee that commonsense and accountability are working together to ensure that legally prohibited, divisive DEI initiatives are being brought into alignment with civil rights laws and constitutional protections. 

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