NOFA-NY Celebrates Victory in Legal Fight against Erase of Climate Resources for Farmers

NOFA-NY Celebrates Victory in Legal Fight against Erase of Climate Resources for Farmers

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In a major win for climate-resilient agriculture, the Northeast Organic Farming Association of New York (NOFA-NY), along with the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) and the Environmental Working Group (EWG), has secured a legal settlement compelling the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to restore critical climate-related content that had been unlawfully removed from its website.

Filed in February 2025 with the support of Earthjustice and the Knight First Amendment Institute at Columbia University, the lawsuit challenged the USDA’s removal of essential online resources under pressure from President Trump’s administration. These erased webpages had offered vital tools for farmers navigating the climate crisis—including guidance on risk management, climate-smart practices, and access to financing options.

Vital Climate Resources Erased from USDA Website

For NOFA-NY and its members, along with farmers nationwide, web-based USDA resources serve as information and resources for farmers to advance their climate-smart agriculture practices, improve their capacity to identify and manage climate-change-related risks and vulnerabilities. More importantly, farmers use the website resources to explore financing options for implementing practices or expanding their operations. The abrupt removal of this content on 31 January 2025 made it harder for farmers to find support during a time when flooding, droughts, and other extreme events are intensifying across regions like New York and New England.