A group of plaintiffs is suing the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) for unlawfully removing important climate-related information from its websites. On January 30, 2025, USDA ordered staff to delete or archive web pages focused on climate change without notifying the public or considering the consequences. Within hours, key resources on climate-smart farming, conservation programs, and clean energy investments disappeared, making it harder for farmers, researchers, and advocates to access critical information.
The lawsuit argues that this purge violates federal laws, including:
- The Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA) – requiring public notice before removing significant government information.
- The Administrative Procedure Act (APA) – mandating that agencies make informed, reasonable decisions.
- The Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) – which obligates the government to make certain records publicly available.
The plaintiffs say that removing these resources is already causing harm. Farmers and farm advisors no longer have access to USDA’s financial aid and technical guidance for conservation practices. Researchers have lost datasets used to study climate change. And organizations working with farmers are struggling to provide assistance without these online tools.
Additionally, the lawsuit claims that the USDA has stopped payments promised under climate-smart agriculture programs, leaving farmers and organizations in financial limbo.
The plaintiffs are asking the court to:
- Declare USDA’s actions unlawful.
- Order the agency to restore the removed web pages.
- Prevent further deletions.
- Ensure the public has continued access to this critical information.
