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The US Department of Agriculture (USDA) has ordered staff to scrub climate change information from its websites. Internal emails reveal a Friday deadline for employees to identify and either archive or delete online materials referencing the topic.
The directive, from USDA Director of Digital Communications Peter Rhee, outlines a three-tiered system for categorizing content. “Tier 1” designates pages solely focused on climate change, while “Tier 2” covers pages where climate change is a significant component. “Tier 3” applies to pages with only passing mentions.
Staff are required to log these materials in a spreadsheet and recommend actions, with final decisions resting with the USDA’s Office of Communications. The Agricultural Research Service (ARS) received a separate email emphasizing the urgency of the request.
The USDA has not commented on the situation. This move comes despite the department’s long-standing involvement in climate research and its existing online resources related to climate change and agriculture. These resources address challenges faced by farmers and landowners due to changing climate conditions.
This directive aligns with recent executive orders rolling back climate policies. Critics argue these actions will worsen climate change and disproportionately impact vulnerable populations.