US agency bows to pressure from farmers after concealing crucial info from public: 'Blatantly unlawful'

In February, a group of farmers and environmental groups filed a lawsuit against the U.S. Department of Agriculture for wiping its websites of crucial climate data used to inform agricultural planning.

Last month, the USDA retracted its decision to maintain its climate data purge, handing a huge win to the farmers and environmentalists that held the department accountable for its rash data purge.

The USDA's decision to restore the removed climate-related web pages came just days before a hearing for a preliminary injunction to restore the pages and to prevent the removal of more.

According to InfoDocket, in a letter filed to the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York, the USDA stated it would "restore the climate-change-related web content that was removed post-inauguration" and commit to complying with federal laws regarding future posting decisions.

The removed content included information on climate-smart farming and interactive tools like the Climate Risk Viewer, which contained over 140 data layers of climate-related geospatial data.

These tools and climate data helped farmers to understand climate patterns over time and to shift crop cycles and investments accordingly to reduce crop failure. For example, a farmer observing intense drought conditions in certain areas could better prepare for the growing season by moving irrigation systems to ensure the fields are adequately watered.

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The USDA also removed key resources that would allow farmers to apply for federal loans and financial support to help weather agricultural challenges brought on by changing weather conditions and extreme climate events.

The restoration of these crucial resources will equip farmers with the necessary information to make informed decisions that can help improve their agricultural success. Increased crop yields contribute to stabilized food production and increased food security for the community.

As farmers shift to more climate-smart and sustainable methods of farming, including no-till farming, farmers are improving their soil health, which leads to increased crop yields, while reducing the amount of harmful carbon dioxide in the air that leads to rising global temperatures.

"We're glad that USDA recognized that its blatantly unlawful purge of climate-change-related information is harming farmers and communities across the country," said Jeffrey Stein, an Earthjustice associate attorney, per Splinter.