USDA Announces Closure of Key Agricultural Research Center; Future Plans Remain Unclear
The US Department of Agriculture (USDA) recently announced plans to close its flagship Beltsville Agricultural Research Center (BARC) in Maryland, a move that has sparked concern among lawmakers, farm groups, and research staff. The closure, part of a broader USDA reorganization, will also relocate roughly half of its Washington-area employees to hubs in North Carolina, Utah, and other locations.
BARC, which spans nearly 7,000 acres in the Maryland suburbs outside Washington, DC, has long been a cornerstone of US agricultural research. Its labs conduct studies on crop genetics, pest management, vine stress, and other critical areas that underpin American farming. However, the agency cites costly renovations and underutilized space as key reasons for the closure, noting that modernization would require approximately $500 million plus $40 million in annual maintenance.
Critics of the plan warn that the closure could disrupt ongoing research and prompt resignations among senior scientists. Three anonymous BARC staff told Reuters that co-locating multiple labs at the facility allows for cost efficiencies and easier access to policymakers.
USDA Secretary Brooke Rollins emphasized that the department’s reorganization is designed to better align operations with its mission of supporting American agriculture while reducing redundancy and costs in the National Capital Region. Rollins described the phased closure and staff relocation as a multi-year process intended to minimize disruptions to critical research.
The agency has acknowledged that no detailed data or analysis underpinning the reorganization plan has been shared with Congress. Lawmakers have questioned whether the cost savings justify the potential disruption to research programs. US Representative Glenn Ivey, whose district includes the BARC site, told Reuters, “Ostensibly they’re saying it would save money, but I haven’t seen any study that suggests that’s the case.”
At present, it remains unclear what will happen to the BARC facility itself, as well as the laboratory equipment, furniture, and infrastructure housed within. Lab Design News has reached out to the USDA, Representative Glenn Ivey, and Senator Chris Van Hollen for comment on the closure and the disposition of the site and its contents.
The announcement has raised broader questions about the future of federal agricultural research, workforce relocation, and the preservation of decades of scientific data and infrastructure. For now, researchers, lawmakers, and local stakeholders are waiting for further details on how the USDA plans to manage the transition, maintain continuity of research, and protect the expertise concentrated at Beltsville.
