USDA Sued Over Climate Data Removal

Farmers and environmental groups filed a lawsuit against the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) on Monday, accusing the agency of an "unlawful purge" of data related to "climate change" from its website, The Hill reported.

The lawsuit, filed by Earthjustice and the Knight First Amendment Institute at Columbia University on behalf of the Northeast Organic Farming Association of New York, the Natural Resources Defense Council, and the Environmental Working Group, alleged that the USDA on Jan. 30 ordered the removal climate policies, datasets, and resources without any public notice or explanation and without following federal transparency laws.

"This lawsuit," the filing read, "challenges the U.S. Department of Agriculture's unlawful purge of climate-related policies, guides, datasets, and resources from its websites, without any advance notice as required by the Paperwork Reduction Act, without engaging in reasoned decision-making as required by the Administrative Procedure Act, and in violation of its obligation under the Freedom of Information Act to publish certain information proactively."

The plaintiffs argued that the deleted resources provided essential information on climate-smart agriculture, forest conservation, and "clean energy projects in rural America."

"By wiping critical climate resources from the USDA's website," Anne Schechinger, the Midwest director for the Environmental Working Group argued, according to The Hill, "the Trump administration has deliberately stripped farmers and ranchers of the vital tools they need to confront the escalating extreme weather threats like droughts and floods."

"This lawsuit isn't just about transparency — it's about holding those in power accountable for undermining the very information that helps protect the livelihoods of food producers, the food system, and our future."

The Knight First Amendment Institute argued that the effects of the data purge would extend beyond farmers and into the economy.

"USDA's policies influence everything from the shape of our economy to the food we eat. Farmers, researchers, and advocates rely on USDA data to make important decisions about their work," Stephanie Krent, a Knight First Amendment Institute staff attorney, said.

"USDA's sudden elimination of webpages that used to provide this information hurts all of us. Members of the public have a right to know how the department is implementing its priorities and administering its programs."

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