U.S. Senator Joni Ernst (R-Iowa) announced that the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) South Building will soon be put up for sale. The announcement was made in Washington alongside USDA Secretary Brooke Rollins and General Services Administration (GSA) Administrator Ed Forst.
Earlier this year, Senator Ernst stood outside the largely unused USDA South Building and called for it to be sold. Despite a return-to-work order from President Trump and efforts to increase staffing, nearly two-thirds of the building remains unoccupied.
Senator Ernst stated, “I am the daughter of an Iowa farmer. I am from a farm family, and it’s so good to know that both at the Department of Agriculture and GSA, that you are representing people in Middle America… So the previous administrations, the USDA denied their ghost town, but Secretary Rollins took action on this. She tracked down the utilization numbers and ensured that taxpayer dollars and space are being used wisely… And now, folks, it will be officially for sale.”
Secretary Rollins highlighted ongoing costs associated with maintaining empty office space: “On any given day, more than 70% of the seats in this building sit empty. Taxpayers foot the bill for these empty offices, all while deferred maintenance costs continue to add up and up and up. Now mounting well over $1 billion and counting on this building alone. The bottom line is that taxpayers are getting shortchanged. But under the leadership of President Trump and our great friends up on the Hill who they all know a thing or two, especially the president, about managing real estate, that all changes starting today.”
Administrator Forst acknowledged Senator Ernst’s role in pushing for change: “I also want to thank Senator Ernst for her incredible support and her long-standing work to highlight government inefficiencies, to eliminate unnecessary regulatory hurdles and to fast track the sale of buildings. She was ahead of many on the issue, and I am really eager to work with her on this and so many other opportunities.”
USDA Deputy Secretary Vaden referenced recent legislation affecting federal property management: “We’re following the law that Senator Ernst and her colleagues in Congress passed, when they passed the USE It Act, requiring that for every federally owned or leased space, the minimum acceptable occupancy rate must be 60%.”
Senator Ernst previously revealed low occupancy rates in federal office buildings in December 2023 by releasing data showing USDA used only 11% of its available office space at headquarters. In February 2024 testimony before a Senate committee overseeing agriculture policy—which she participates in—Ernst questioned then-Secretary Tom Vilsack about telework policies at USDA.
Her continued advocacy included supporting efforts by President Trump’s administration in July 2025 to bring attention to unused office spaces within federal agencies.
Maintenance costs for underutilized federal offices remain high nationwide; Washington spends over $81 million annually maintaining such properties—including nearly 7,700 vacant buildings—and deferred maintenance reported by GSA has exceeded $6 billion with projections reaching $20 billion within five years.
Ernst’s FOR SALE Act proposes selling six key federal properties in Washington D.C., including the USDA South Building—a move estimated to generate more than $400 million while avoiding additional maintenance expenses totaling approximately $2.9 billion.
Senator Ernst represents Iowa as its first female senator since her election in 2014—the first woman from Iowa elected to serve in this capacity—and serves on multiple Senate committees including Agriculture as noted on her official website. Her constituent services cover assistance with casework across Iowa through facilitation with federal agencies (source).
