USDA

Senior Counsel

Jeff serves as Senior Counsel to PEER, where he specializes in civil service, scientific integrity, and whistleblower protection issues. Jeff was PEER’s Executive Director from 1997 to 2019 and its Pacific Director from 2019 to 2025. Previously, he was the Policy Director and a staff attorney at the Government Accountability Project, representing whistleblowers from both the public and private sectors. Before coming to DC, Jeff worked in California state government for 17 years, mostly in the State Legislature as counsel to various committees where he drafted hundreds of laws on topics ranging from energy conservation to the rights of employed inventors. Jeff served stints as a deputy district attorney and an appellate court clerk. He is a graduate of the California Correctional Officers Academy.

COMMENTARY | Letter to the EPA: Take Action on “Devil’s Bargain” Pesticides

by Peter Jenkins | March 27, 2023
The environment needs protection from neonic-coated seeds, which are by far the broadest pesticide/insecticide application across the country ...

Letter to BLM, USDA – Scope of environmental review for Federal Lands, Minnesota

by PEER | January 19, 2022
DESCRIPTION: PEER submitted a letter covering past USFS employee critical feedback, treaty rights impacting NEPA scope, and economic issues related to a USFS and BLM proposal to remove a large amount of BLM-controlled mineral resources under the Superior National Forest from leasing for ...

BLOG | Research Suppression at USDA and Stagnation of Agricultural Science

by Guest Contributor | February 11, 2021
Jonathan Lundgren was a top-rated USDA research scientist until he started revealing the environmental harms of the neonicotinoid insecticides and other favorite products of the pesticide industry ...

BLOG | Vilsack Pick Fails Scientific Integrity Test

by Jeff Ruch | February 3, 2021
Biden’s nominee for USDA Secretary, Tom Vilsack, had a dubious record on scientific integrity and ties to agri-business during his previous stint at USDA ...
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