USDA Sued for Removing Critical Climate Webpages
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, Earthjustice and the Knight First Amendment Institute at Columbia University have filed a lawsuit against the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) for improperly removing critical webpages focused on climate change. This litigation aims to secure a court order mandating USDA to restore access to important webpages and to halt any future removal of climate-related content.
Impact on Farmers and Climate-Smart Practices
All farmers in the U.S. are confronting severe and evolving weather conditions. Access to climate information is vital for helping them make informed decisions and access resources that can mitigate risks to their livelihoods. Many farmers are also adopting climate-smart practices for economic reasons; research indicates that consumers tend to prefer and are willing to pay more for climate-smart products. Limiting farmers’ access to information regarding emerging markets and federal funding adversely affects their profitability.
Legal and Environmental Concerns
“The USDA’s irrational purge of climate change information is detrimental not only to farmers, researchers, and advocates, but it also constitutes multiple violations of federal law,” remarked Jeffrey Stein, associate attorney at Earthjustice. “Rather than sabotaging public access to essential resources, USDA should focus on safeguarding our food system against droughts, wildfires, and extreme weather conditions.”
Importance of Public Climate Data
“The Agriculture Department’s website is a critical resource for understanding the severe impacts of climate change on agriculture and for connecting farmers with programs to enhance their resilience and reduce costs,” said Rebecca Riley, managing director for Food & Agriculture at NRDC. “This information is essential for making informed decisions regarding food production in an era marked by unpredictable weather and diminishing profit margins. By stripping climate data from the USDA’s website, the Trump administration is not only complicating farming but also undermining our capacity to adapt to the very threats posed by climate change.”
Implications for Farmers, Researchers, and Advocates
“USDA’s policies affect everything from our economy’s structure to our dietary choices. Farmers, researchers, and advocates depend on USDA data to make crucial professional decisions,” stated Stephanie Krent, staff attorney at the Knight First Amendment Institute. “The abrupt removal of webpages that previously offered this information is detrimental to all. The public has a right to understand how the department is carrying out its goals and managing its programs.”
Threats to Food Security and Economic Stability
The elimination of information on the website, combined with large-scale layoffs at USDA and a freeze on billions in conservation funding, will threaten food security and deprive farmers and rural economies of vital support, as well as hinder access to information necessary for advocating reinstatement of funding and assistance.
Federal Law Violations and the Lawsuit
The lawsuit claims that USDA is infringing upon three federal statutes:
- Freedom of Information Act (FOIA): Requires public access to core documents.
- Paperwork Reduction Act: Mandates proper notification before altering public information access.
- Administrative Procedure Act: Prohibits arbitrary government actions.
Resources Removed and the Broader Impact
Among the resources recently removed from the USDA websites are materials on climate-smart farming practices, federal loans, conservation efforts, and climate adaptation strategies. The USDA has expunged entire climate-focused sections from its U.S. Forest Service and Natural Resources Conservation Service sites, eliminating resources that help farmers access billions of dollars for essential conservation measures. Interactive tools such as the U.S. Forest Service’s “Climate Risk Viewer” and technical guidance on emission reductions and resilience to extreme weather have also been disabled.
A Precedent for Future Government Actions
The outcome of this lawsuit could set a precedent affecting the Trump administration across various agencies. Since January 20, the Trump administration has removed over 8,000 web pages from public access across multiple agencies, including vital resources related to public health, disaster preparedness, environmental justice, and foreign aid. Numerous pages have either disappeared entirely or returned with restricted access.
Original story by NRDC
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