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USDA to Vacate Massive DC Office Building as Workforce Shifts to States
Department will also give up leased space in Alexandria, Virginia as part of broader reorganization plan.
Published on Feb. 25, 2026
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The U.S. Department of Agriculture will transfer its large South Building office in Washington, D.C. to the General Services Administration as part of a plan to shrink the department's footprint in the capital region. More than 70% of offices in the South Building sit empty on any given day, and the department has over $1 billion in deferred maintenance costs. The USDA will also vacate leased space in Alexandria, Virginia as it shifts thousands of workers out of the D.C. area to regional hubs across the country.
Why it matters
The USDA's move to downsize its presence in Washington, D.C. and surrounding areas is part of a broader effort by the federal government to reduce its real estate footprint and workforce in the capital region. This shift aims to cut costs, improve efficiency, and bring government services closer to the people they serve in other parts of the country.
The details
USDA Secretary Brooke Rollins said the South Building, which was built between 1930-1936, represents "what government that has grown too big, too bloated and too disconnected from its citizens looks like." The department plans to relocate workers from its Food and Nutrition Service currently based in Virginia to Washington, D.C. The broader USDA reorganization will ramp up over the summer, allowing employees with school-aged children to finish the academic year before completing their relocation by the start of the next school year.
- The USDA outlined its plan to shift workers out of the capital region in July 2025.
- The USDA reorganization is expected to be complete by the end of 2026.
The players
Brooke Rollins
U.S. Department of Agriculture Secretary.
Stephen Vaden
USDA Deputy Secretary.
Joni Ernst
Republican U.S. Senator from Iowa who has advocated for shrinking the federal government.
Edward Forst
Administrator of the General Services Administration.
What they’re saying
“Behind me, along this entire city block in bricks and mortar, is what government that has grown too big, too bloated and too disconnected from its citizens looks like. That all changes starting today, because today we are officially starting the process of turning the South Building back over to the General Services Administration.”
— Brooke Rollins, USDA Secretary (penncapital-star.com)
“Let's just keep on draining the swamp, and, Secretary Rollins, moving our federal workers closer to the people that they represent. And I would say that the great state of Iowa is a good place to start.”
— Joni Ernst, U.S. Senator (penncapital-star.com)
What’s next
The General Services Administration will now begin a comprehensive process to determine a new use for the USDA's South Building in Washington, D.C., consulting with stakeholders including the private sector.
The takeaway
The USDA's decision to vacate its massive office building in D.C. and shift thousands of workers to regional hubs across the country is a significant step in the federal government's efforts to reduce its footprint and bureaucracy in the capital region, bringing government services closer to the people they serve.
