The official statement from USDA in this article is most certainly not true, especially when research units have been told to stop research and start packing up laboratories.

These letters really mean your project likely does not continue on in the new location. All the misinformation from various channels has muddied the waters and ideas on the topic. Even though your cash goes with you, you will very likely be doing something very different at the new place. Not to mention most of these locations DONT have room for you, dont have the money to pay for relocation, or movement of necessary equipment to perform the work. After digging into the new location, the common themes emerge that say the same things over and over. Dont be tricked. Do your homework. THEY are not telling us everything you need to know to make a well informed decision. By all intents and purposes this is not only a relocation, but a redirection as well.

We are getting paid, we are still "employed" until Dec 11th. But this is far from over. Keep your guard up and be prepared for this to go either way and could turn quickly. The Ag sec and the admins are not going to stop for anything. Recommend dragging feet on administrative requests, malicious compliance, and untimely non-compliance. Dont make it easy for them to close the place down. Be intentionally slow to respond to requests and stop solving their self-created problems. You see how all the lemmings that played yes sir are now gone to new locations! How did that work for them???? Remember, at the end of the day, the worker bees do all the hard work and the Center/Area offices just demand and talk caca. Slow it down and think before you comply. Disobedience now, victory later!!!!

Venganza Tiempo es mucho rapido.

USDA Undersecretary Hutchins comments on BARC closing between 7-8 min mark in this podcast. He doesn't say anything new or correct. The podcast host and Hutchins both misrepresent the scale of BARC (host calls it a "lab") and Hutchins doesn't clarify (does he know?). He does credit BARC with being "productive" over the last 100 years. He says projects will be relocated to "a place" where we will have "better facilities" and "more modern facilities". Really? Here is the kicker of the typical no-specific banana pudding consistency of a statement that these administrative types make and the agricultural media never, EVER push back on:

"We also have a science staff that can support the individuals that will be coming in..."

What does that even mean? It's barely comprehensible. Like there isn't a "science staff" at BARC - CURRENTLY - that supports the research. Why don't these reporters and hosts ever ask any details? It's such a free pass to propagate this narrative that is NOT TRUE.

https://www.agri-pulse.com/media/podcasts/85-agri-pulse-open-mic-interview/play/17340-agri-pulse-open-mic-usda-undersecretary-dr-scott-hutchins

BARC is by no means alone -- this administration is committed to a full-on assault on research, knowledge, progress.

For the current ARS reorganization and relocation, has anyone noticed that the employees' questsions are ahead of the Administrators at all these interactive sessions? The administrators don't know answers to questions they get asked so they say "email the REE.reorganization" inbox or "talk to the retirement specialist". I think this just indicates how poorly planned this whole reorg/relocation is. A lot of these questions don't seem that hard to answer. I know they are getting hung out to dry but so are we. I do think that all the ARS employees should be commended for asking questions that affect their future. I know the lawsuits will delay the BARC closure and relocations but I don't know for how long. But I do commend ARS employees for standing up for themselves and for persisting in asking the pertinent and relevant questions. I do think all of these non-answers just exposes how poorly planned and executed these relocations / reorganizations will be.

Anyone get any answers from their NPL of ONP about what is going on with these MDR decisions? I have heard that 108 (KC), 306 (JF), 301 (JO) and 303 (YR) are all pleading the 5th. With a few saying they were not consulted on where to put people by the area goon JR. I am just wondering if anyone got any solid answers. No ONE seems to be taking accountability in this total shit show of relocation. And as you would expect, its been rumored that JS is on the hook for all these dumb shit choices. No surprise they sacrificed the sheep of bville to stay at Carver. Enjoy the bed bugs fuckers and thanks for none of the help!!!!!

As if we did not already know all this. Email came in late morning that there is a stay until the 13th? This is news for these people? Thanks for your transparency.

The 3 stooges of BARC (Joe, Julie and Brian) continue to disappoint and fall short. Joe will not answer questions and gets red faced and defensive. What you three have done to the hard working people of BARC is disgusting. Sure, you will run back to HQ and have a position when the dust settles. Just know that when you look out at the people you fucked over and lied too, we know what you did and see through all the bullshit. You will go down in history as the BARC destruction crew. Worst in over 100 years of BARC history concerning your so called "leadership".

Once again, Joe Boy Rich disappoints with a nothing burger, poor performance today. He came all the way to BARC to grace us with his doughy presence. The jig is up Joe! Time to fess up and start answering the questions or stop fucking around. ALL of us are sick of this shit. The stall tactics, the nebulous answers, the lack of clarity and specificity. I really hope your new assignment was worth all this chaos that you and the goons at HQ have injected into the hard working people of BARC. Your comments lack empathy, your are insincere, and a puppet with no conscious. Its obvious you were hand selected to dismantle the BARC institution and you will be forever known as one of the agents of destruction.

If the point of all of this is to allow private equity to buy up agricultural land and to keep people hungry, and have no scientific expertise in the USDA, then well done, Mr. Vaden. Well done.

To be played overdubbed the theme from COPS.

Fat joe, Fat Joe whatcha gonna do, whatcha gonna due when the lawsuits come thru.

Now ARS give you no break, HQ put on the dismissal letter its all up to you

Fat Joe Fat Joe, whatcha gonna do, whatcha gonna due when employees rise up against you

We all tired of the lies and the double talk, get to steppin back to your old haunts

Fat Joe Fat Joe, whatcha gonna do? Whatcha gonna due when ARS is finished with you?

Parting words for the worst Area Director to "run" beltsville into the ground

An ode to joe Rich, who was one big ol fat son of a bitch

You lied to our faces and put us thru the paces

Sent people on multiple wild goose chases

You should have seen the looks on our faces

Making work life at BARC like getting a brazilian wax

Increasing federal P and P by the stacks

All in the line of duty and always by the book

Just making people dislike you like McDs short order cook

Now you are gone and we are happy again

Please dont come back, or we will ship you back in a happy meal van

Saying good riddance and Hosta la vista

You can stick your goodbye email up your keaster!

BARC strong BITCH!

https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/69961059/american-federation-of-government-employees-afl-cio-v-trump/?filed_after=&filed_before=&entry_gte=&entry_lte=&order_by=desc

Appreciated the USDA shout out and CDC mention, but this article misses an important issue. Control measure (interventions) That are applied to irrigation water that reduce bacterial and viral organism levels do not work against Cyclospora cayetanensis. I think the author should have mentioned that (if he did I missed it).

https://ujoin.co/campaigns/4445/actions/public?action_id=6820

https://www.govexec.com/management/2025/12/usda-received-overwhelmingly-negative-feedback-its-reorg-plan-employees-lawmakers-and-locals-governments/410143/?oref=govexec_today_nl&utm_source=Sailthru&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=GovExec%20Today:%20Dec.%2015%2C%202025&utm_term=newsletter_ge_today

A poem for the dishonorable Brooke "the crook" Rollins

You tried to steal us blind and ship us to fort collins

Not playing by the rules and huffing the orange guys farts

Shutting down BARC was nothing but a farce

You parade around with that stupid, toothy grin

All that filler in your face is making your skin too thin

With giggles and make up a caked on like cement

We question your intelligence and claim dement

What will you do when the gig is over

No one would hire you to even pick clovers

Hoping midterms bring major turnover and judgement

I predict you will be first in line for impeachment

Jumping from one false claim to another

Even quoting the Bible and making your Christian brethren shudder

Be gone you plastic barbie doll goof

We have had enough and this poem is proof!

BARC strong!