The commitment follows a lawsuit initiated by the Northeast Organic Farming Association of New York, along with environmental organizations including the Natural Resources Defense Council and the Environmental Working Group. The deleted data included critical resources like federal funding, loans, and detailed interactive tools such as the U.S. Forest Service's “Climate Risk Viewer,” which showcases the risks climate change poses to national forests and grasslands.

Farmers argued that the removal of such information hindered their ability to make urgent decisions related to climate threats like droughts, flooding, and wildfires. In court filings, U.S. attorney Jay Clayton confirmed that the USDA has begun the process of reinstating the deleted pages and expects to substantially complete this restoration within two weeks.

The attorney representing the plaintiffs praised the USDA's recognition of the detrimental impact its omission had on the farming community, emphasizing the necessity of transparency in climate data for effective agricultural practices.

As the government prepares to report on its progress, the case raises broader questions about the accountability of public institutions in preserving essential information that aids land management and environmental stewardship, especially in the context of increasing climate-related challenges.