A federal judge on Tuesday temporarily blocked the Trump administration from moving ahead with a U.S. Department of Agriculture reorganization that would close the Beltsville Agricultural Research Center in Prince George’s County, preserving the facility’s operations for now. The center employs about 1,000 people, according to the reported account of the ruling. County Executive Aisha Braveboy has said closing BARC could cost Maryland $450 million in gross domestic product. Prince George’s County joined federal employee labor unions, other local governments and nonprofit organizations in challenging the plan. The plaintiffs argue that federal law bars the USDA from carrying out the reorganization and that the department failed to assess how the changes could affect its ability to conduct conservation research. Maryland lawmakers have also argued the closure would violate the fiscal year 2026 Agriculture Appropriations Act, which became law on Nov. 12, 2025. In a letter to USDA leaders, several members of the state’s congressional delegation said the law directs the department to keep BARC open. The administration has said the center’s facilities are outdated and costly, and that its resources could be put to better use elsewhere. Under the plan announced in April, research projects would be moved to other locations. BARC has operated in Prince George’s County for more than a century. Braveboy has pointed to Maryland’s four seasons as an important setting for testing agricultural products and studying soil under varied conditions. Some research projects, including work related to Cyclospora, have been shelved since April, according to prior reporting cited in coverage of the dispute. Tuesday’s order is temporary. The USDA could still pursue its reorganization if Congress does not take further action, leaving the center’s long-term future unresolved.