USDA Removes Climate Change Resources Following Trump Directive

WASHINGTON, D.C. – The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) began removing climate change-related resources from its websites on Thursday following a directive from the Trump administration. By Friday, key landing pages on the United States Forest Service (USFS) website, including those providing wildfire adaptation tools and research, displayed error messages or the notice: “You are not authorized to access this page.”

Internal emails obtained by ABC News revealed that USDA officials instructed web managers to “identify and archive or unpublish any landing pages focused on climate change” by the close of business on Friday. The directive, issued by the USDA’s Office of Communications, required staff to track affected content in a spreadsheet for further review.

Peter Rhee, USDA Director of Digital Communications, outlined the process in an email sent Thursday. “OC will review the submitted materials and make determinations on next steps,” Rhee wrote, referring to the Office of Communications. A separate email to the Agricultural Research Service (ARS) emphasized the urgency of the request, instructing staff to submit their content audit by 3 p.m. ET Friday.

The spreadsheet provided to website managers categorized content into three tiers of urgency. Pages entirely dedicated to climate change were marked as “Tier 1,” while those with significant climate-related content were labeled “Tier 2.” Pages mentioning climate change in passing were classified as “Tier 3.”

The USDA has long been a hub for climate research, offering resources on topics such as carbon sequestration, adaptation strategies for farmers, and the impacts of rising temperatures on agriculture. A 2022 USDA webpage titled “Climate Change Adaptation and USDA” highlighted the challenges faced by producers, ranchers, and forest landowners due to climate change. “Some of these effects are familiar but occurring more frequently or intensely while others are new and unprecedented,” the webpage stated.

The directive aligns with President Trump’s broader efforts to reverse climate policies, including withdrawing from the Paris climate agreement, expanding fossil fuel production, and weakening environmental protections. Critics argue these actions will exacerbate climate change and disproportionately harm vulnerable communities.

As of publication, the USDA’s Climate Hubs, which connect producers to local programs and research, remain accessible. However, the administration’s move has effectively barred access to dozens of programs designed to help communities, from farmers to firefighters, navigate the impacts of climate change. The USDA and USFS did not immediately respond to requests for comment.