A recent lawsuit has compelled the Agriculture Department to restore key climate data that was purged from its website, data crucial for farmers managing climate-related risks.
Farmers Win Court Case as Government Restores Crucial Climate Data

Farmers Win Court Case as Government Restores Crucial Climate Data
The U.S. Agriculture Department vows to reinstate vital climate information after lawsuit challenging its removal during the Trump era.
The U.S. Agriculture Department has announced intentions to reinstate critical climate data that was removed from its website during the Trump administration. This decision follows legal action taken by the Northeast Organic Farming Association of New York alongside environmental advocacy groups, including the Natural Resources Defense Council and the Environmental Working Group.
According to court filings submitted on May 12, 2025, the Agriculture Department acknowledged the need to restore various components of its site, including material related to federal funding, forest conservation, and rural energy initiatives. Additionally, the “Climate Risk Viewer,” a tool that provided detailed maps outlining potential climate impacts on national forests and grasslands, was among the resources that were deleted.
The lawsuit claimed that the removal of these resources left farmers without crucial information necessary for timely decision-making, particularly as they face threats like heat waves, droughts, floods, and wildfires. Farmers rely heavily on this data to strategize against climate-related challenges.
In representations to the court, U.S. Attorney Jay Clayton confirmed that the department has initiated efforts to restore the information and anticipates completing the process in about two weeks. He requested a postponement of a scheduled court hearing to allow time for these developments, proposing to provide an interim report on progress in three weeks.
Jeffrey Stein, an associate attorney at Earthjustice, underscored the significance of this restoration, which he characterized as a corrective measure against the unlawful deletion that has adversely impacted farmers and communities nationwide. The federal commitment to restore these resources marks a significant victory for advocates of transparency in climate data and information critical for agricultural sustainability.