Prince George’s County Statement on Joining Coalition Lawsuit Regarding BARC

"Prince George’s County has been the proud home of the USDA Beltsville Agricultural Research Center (BARC) for more than 115 years," said Prince George’s County Executive, Aisha Braveboy. "BARC’s innovative, groundbreaking research has strengthened food safety, advanced human nutrition, and improved livestock genetics nationwide. A significant portion of Prince George’s County’s economy has grown around BARC, and we estimate that approximately 1,000 jobs at BARC and in the surrounding community would be lost if the facility were permanently closed.

She continued, “BARC is critically important to Prince George’s County’s economy. “It is a pillar of our community that drives jobs, innovation, and opportunity within the agriculture industry. We believe the Trump Administration’s attempt to permanently shut down BARC and relocate its staff outside of Prince George’s County is unlawful. We are joining this lawsuit to protect our economy, the County residents who work in and around BARC, and the vital research conducted here.”

Prince George’s County stands with its coalition partners in taking legal action to ensure BARC remains in our community and continues its essential mission.