An employee with the United States Department of Agriculture in Agronomy Hall has been suspended from his job for 10 days for disorderly conduct after an incident with a Iowa State staff member, sources said.

Reid Palmer, a USDA agronomy professor, was suspended without pay after a confrontation in the office of Peter Bretting’s secretary. Bretting, whose secretary also works for the USDA, is a USDA associate agronomy professor.

A university staff member said Palmer was “screaming and yelling at a secretary with witnesses watching.”

Witnesses included Bretting’s secretary and a clerk typist. Bretting witnessed part of the incident as he walked into the situation.

The identity of the university employee could not be confirmed.

The staff member said Palmer has decided to use his paid vacation time for the duration of his suspension. Palmer was hesitant to comment. “I don’t see how this relates to you at all. It’s not a university situation,” he said.

He referred further questions to his attorney, John Herheladson.

As of press time, Herheladson could not be reached for comment.

Dwayne Buxton, Palmer’s supervisor, also could not be reached for comment.

Two USDA employees would not comment, saying they were federal employees and had to ask permission if they were free to speak on the incident.

Steve Sullivan, communication specialist for ISU News Service, said USDA employees at the university are paid similarly to the Department of Energy employees at Ames Labs, located on campus. The federal employees, he said, are on the university payroll, but the USDA and Department of Energy pay the university in return.