WASHINGTON, D.C. (RFD NEWS) — The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is moving to dispose of two Washington, D.C., facilities — including the largely vacant South Building — as part of a broader reorganization aimed at reducing costs and shifting resources closer to producers. The decision signals a structural change in how the department manages its footprint and workforce.
Secretary Brooke Rollins, Deputy Secretary Stephen Vaden, and GSA Administrator Edward Forst announced the return of the South Building and Braddock Place to the General Services Administration. USDA reports that more than 85 percent of the South Building is unoccupied and that it carries a $1.6 billion deferred maintenance backlog.
Operationally, the move reduces overhead tied to aging infrastructure and consolidates remaining staff. Officials say future phases will comply with legal requirements while relocating personnel in line with agency priorities.
The South Building historically housed career staff, while the Whitten Building across Independence Avenue remains the department’s primary executive office. Supporters argue the change improves fiscal stewardship; critics warn relocation could disrupt coordination and institutional continuity.
Further details on employee reassignment and property disposition are expected as the reorganization unfolds.
The U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) estimates that the move will save farmers and ranchers $2.5 billion each year. The group warns that new methods for calculating the adverse-effect wage rate would result in lower pay for foreign workers.
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