Farmers blindsided as USDA erases essential resources: 'Farmers are on the frontlines'

The Trump administration is facing pushback from farmers and environmental groups for detrimental actions in limiting access to what they consider useful resources.

What's happening?

As Common Dreams reported, a complaint has been filed in the Southern District of New York regarding what Earthjustice attorney Jeffrey Stein described as a "purge."

In a statement, Stein added it's "irrational" that actions are being taken at the United States Department of Agriculture to strip guides, datasets, and policies from its websites that talk about the causes of increasing heat waves, drought, and flooding, noting that they violate federal laws "several times over."

"USDA should be working to protect our food system from droughts, wildfires, and extreme weather, not denying the public access to critical resources," Stein continued.

According to Environmental Working Group Midwest director Anne Schechinger, the move strips farmers and ranchers of "vital tools" they will need when trying to adapt to a shifting weather landscape that is experiencing more extreme drought and flooding conditions. 

Why is this concerning?

While droughts and flooding are nothing new, they are becoming more severe, long-lasting, and frequent because of human-caused global heating.

It's an unfortunate reality, and depriving farmers of the information they need to tackle these conditions can harm livelihoods and impact our food supply.

"Farmers are on the frontlines of climate impacts, we have been reacting to extreme weather and making choices to protect our businesses and our food system for years," Northeast Organic Farming Association of New York board president Wes Gillingham said, per Common Dreams. 

What can be done about the changing climate?

Lawsuits like these aim to restore access to the guidance farmers and environmental campaigners need to respond to unprecedented changes that can increase the risk of crop diseases and present unfavorable conditions for growth.

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Writing to your elected officials to demonstrate your disapproval of these moves can make a real difference. Otherwise, making your voice heard at the ballot box can ensure that pro-climate candidates are positioned to implement positive environmental changes.

But we don't need to wait for government intervention to make changes ourselves. Eating more plant-based meals and making fewer journeys by car can help reduce the production of planet-warming pollution that is exacerbating rising global temperatures and making conditions more challenging for farmers.

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