In 2022, the inspector general’s office launched an investigation of Elon Musk’s brain implant startup Neuralink, which remains ongoing, sources said. In recent years, the office has also taken on animal abuse at dog breeders for research labs and the listeria outbreak at Boar’s Head, among other issues.

The USDA Inspector General deals with food safety, audits and investigations of the Agriculture Department and violations of animal welfare laws. The USDA has been one of the main agencies dealing with the outbreak of bird flu, which has spread to cattle and poultry. One person in Louisiana has died from the disease.

In a dramatic turn of events, Phyllis Fong, the USDA Inspector General, was escorted out of her office for refusing to comply with her dismissal by the Trump administration. This incident raises questions about the legality and motivations behind her firing and the broader implications for federal oversight.