Farmers and Advocates Win Back USDA Climate Data
📸Image Credit: Andre Carrotflower, Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 4.0 International, via Wikimedia Commons
Sources: Truthout, CBS News, Earthjustice
The USDA attempted to erase vital climate tools and information. A coalition of farmers, lawyers, and advocates took them to court—and won.
In January 2025, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) abruptly ordered the removal of all webpages and tools focused on climate change. Within hours, critical resources—such as the Climate Risk Viewer and pages detailing climate-smart agriculture programs—vanished without notice from USDA platforms, including the Forest Service, Natural Resources Conservation Service, and Farmers.gov.
The erasure disproportionately impacted small and organic farmers, who rely on these tools to plan for increasingly volatile weather, apply for loans, and access USDA support programs. The decision sparked an immediate backlash, culminating in a lawsuit filed by the Northeast Organic Farming Association of New York (NOFA-NY), the Environmental Working Group, and the Natural Resources Defense Council. Legal counsel was provided by Earthjustice and the Knight First Amendment Institute at Columbia University.
Days before a federal court hearing, the USDA reversed course. On May 12, the department agreed to restore all climate-related content removed after January 30 and pledged to follow federal transparency laws moving forward.
💥WHY THIS WIN MATTERS
This win is more than a legal victory—it’s a defense of truth, transparency, and the right to public information. In a time when the climate crisis is accelerating, and DOGE funding cuts to essential services like the National Weather Service threaten communities’ access to science-based data and tools not just for the day-to-day, but for their livelihoods. The removal of these resources was not merely bureaucratic negligence, but it was rather a political act that, if left unchecked by the courts, could have endangered rural communities and farmers. Some communities in Missouri, Kentucky, and other states in “Tornado Alley” faced the repercussions when the warning alert system did not push out warning alerts as tornadoes ravaged the region earlier this month.
By restoring these tools, farmers regain access to guidance that helps them adapt to drought, floods, and shifting growing seasons. It also sets a precedent: federal agencies cannot quietly erase climate data without accountability. The success of this legal push mirrors other recent wins—like communities blocking fossil fuel projects or securing funding for climate-smart forms of agriculture, including organic farmers that center soil health and community involvement.
Altogether these actions show that organized resistance works—and that the climate justice movement is watching.
