By Andi Anderson
The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Livestock Behavior Research Unit in Indiana, once a leader in farm animal welfare research, now faces possible closure after being reduced to a single staff member.
Recent mass terminations of probationary federal employees have left the lab, located at Purdue University, critically understaffed.
Established in 1992, the unit has played a vital role in understanding animal pain, stress, and welfare on farms.
It informed industry practices and even shaped laws like California’s Proposition 12, which banned extreme confinement of animals. The lab collaborated with university researchers, trained future scientists, and supported livestock producers with evidence-based welfare practices.
Until recently, the lab had five scientists. It dropped to three by 2024, and following layoffs in February 2025, only Dr. Heng-wei Cheng remains. The other two scientists, Jessica Pempek and Kaitlin Wurtz, were terminated under federal orders affecting probationary staff.
Dr. Jeremy Marchant, a long-time researcher at the unit, called the cuts “heart-breaking” and warned that “without the scientists, the unit will be earmarked for closure.”
Marchant and others fear the shutdown will stall animal welfare progress, especially since the unit’s public research was widely trusted.
The lab’s past work addressed painful farm practices such as castration, heat stress in animals, and harmful procedures like beak trimming in poultry. It aimed to improve animal conditions and inform humane methods.
The loss is being deeply felt in the animal science community. The lab’s former leader, Don Lay Jr., passed away this month, adding to the emotional toll.
With only one scientist remaining and no replacements in sight, the unit’s future hangs in the balance. Experts warn this could slow efforts to improve farm animal welfare nationwide. A merger with a similar Texas-based USDA lab is one possible solution, though not yet confirmed.
This cutback marks a major step back in government-supported animal welfare research.
Photo Credit: usda
Categories: Indiana, Government & Policy