Three employees at the USDA’s Beltsville Agricultural Research Center (BARC) filed whistleblower disclosures in 2023 alleging unsafe working conditions. In June 2025, the U.S. Office of Special Counsel (OSC) said a USDA investigation largely substantiated those allegations, identifying widespread safety and maintenance deficiencies. USDA also reported corrective actions, while its current public page says the agency plans to decommission BARC and relocate research projects; that plan is not the same as completed decommissioning.
What happened at the Beltsville Agricultural Research Center?
BARC is a U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Agricultural Research Service facility in Maryland. In May 2023, Reuters reported that three BARC employees had filed federal whistleblower complaints describing unsafe conditions and effects on research. Reuters said it interviewed five current and one former employee and reviewed employee records and documents. Those accounts were allegations at the time, not a final official finding. Reuters’ May 2023 report
The complaints raised concerns about whether facility conditions endangered staff and undermined research. Staff told Reuters that recurring problems could prevent experiments from being completed or replicated.
What conditions did employees describe?
Reuters reported employee accounts of fume hoods that failed to meet applicable requirements, broken fire alarms, temperature extremes, and intermittent loss of toilets and running water. Employee documentation reviewed by Reuters said fire-alarm systems were inoperable in eight BARC buildings.
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Staff-collected inspection data for 28 fume hoods from 2020 through 2022, as reported by Reuters in 2023, showed that all but one had face velocities outside the recommended range at some point; 18 were out of compliance in all three years. These figures describe the records reviewed for that report, not the hoods’ present condition.
The December 2022 flooding incident
Employees told Reuters that a freeze-related plumbing failure on December 25, 2022, flooded offices, laboratories, and storage rooms. Reuters reported that independent contractor assessments found asbestos in damaged flooring and ceiling material and mold in some areas. The reported findings concern the affected materials and areas; they do not establish the condition of every BARC building.
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Staffing and repair figures reported in 2023
USDA ARS figures reported by Reuters provide context for the 2023 reporting period, but should not be read as current staffing or facility statistics.
| Figure | What it described in the 2023 report |
|---|---|
| 600 in 2017; 550 in 2023 | BARC employees, according to a USDA ARS spokesperson quoted by Reuters. |
| 121 in 2012; 87 in 2023 | Facilities-department staff, according to the same spokesperson. |
| 30 vacancies | Facilities-department vacancies as of May 2023, according to the USDA ARS spokesperson. |
| $925,000 | The amount USDA ARS said it had committed to restoring the flooded building and replacing damaged equipment. |
Reuters also quoted Ashaki “Teddi” Mitchell, then vice president of AFGE Local 3147 and a BARC biological science laboratory technician, describing the central problem as “normalized apathy.” A USDA ARS spokesperson said at the time: “Our employees’ health and well-being is our top priority.”
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Were the safety complaints substantiated?
Not by the initial filing itself. On June 29, 2023, OSC referred the disclosures to USDA for investigation. The referral identified possible violations of law, rule, or regulation; gross mismanagement; gross waste; and a substantial and specific danger to public health and safety as matters to investigate. A referral starts an investigative process; it is not an adjudication or a finding that the allegations are true. OSC’s June 2023 referral letter
On June 25, 2025, OSC announced that USDA’s investigation largely substantiated the whistleblowers’ allegations and found pervasive safety deficiencies across BARC facilities. OSC listed lack of running water, malfunctioning elevators, inadequate heating and cooling, widespread water damage, mold, and nonfunctioning fire-suppression systems in dozens of buildings. The USDA investigation report and response plan are available in a redacted form. OSC’s June 2025 announcement · USDA investigation report and response plan
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USDA’s September 24, 2024 supplemental report records the investigation scope and the case identifiers DI-23-000706, DI-23-000708, and DI-23-000719. USDA’s supplemental report
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.What did USDA say it did in response?
In its June 2025 announcement, OSC said USDA had completed nearly 60 corrective actions, redirected funds toward modernization and repairs, selected a new permanent BARC director, and developed a new master plan. Those are actions reported by OSC as of that announcement; they do not establish that every deficiency was fixed or that every building is now safe. The public materials cited here do not confirm the completion status of each corrective action or the present condition of individual buildings.
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OSC Senior Counsel Charles Baldis said: “I thank the whistleblowers for bringing these allegations to OSC and recommend that the USDA recognize their contributions to improve government efficiency and the safety of BARC workers and consider issuing a monetary reward.” OSC announcement, June 25, 2025
What is the status of BARC’s future?
USDA’s current reorganization page says ARS will decommission BARC and relocate research projects. That is a stated plan, not confirmation that decommissioning or relocation has been completed. The page does not provide a confirmed final completion date, and the plan may change. USDA reorganization page
The available official updates establish the scope of the 2025 investigation and the actions OSC said USDA had taken by June 2025. They do not establish the timeline for carrying out the decommissioning plan or the status of every repair after that date.
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