Thread by @NFUDC

A bipartisan report says that this administration's efforts to undermine & politicize research - including the relocation of NIFA & ERS - has pushed federal science to a crisis.
“Science shouldn’t be swayed by whether someone is liberal or conservative.”
nytimes.com/2019/10/03/cli…

@nytimes @nytclimate @LFFriedman @RudyMehrbani @WendyRWeiser @BrennanCenter @PreetBharara Farmers rely on the data provided by ERS to make important business decisions, and legislators rely on it to develop effective farm and food policy - but because of the relocation, 75% of the agency's staff have retired, quit, or were terminated. bloomberg.com/news/articles/…

@nytimes @nytclimate @LFFriedman @RudyMehrbani @WendyRWeiser @BrennanCenter @PreetBharara @business @ASA_SciPol @AFGENational Missouri Farmers Union member Richard Oswald depends on ERS research to prepare his farm for greater weather extremes.
"If you can’t talk about climate change, then how can you talk about changing it?" he asked. "That’s what the move has done - slowed down reporting on climate.”

@nytimes @nytclimate @LFFriedman @RudyMehrbani @WendyRWeiser @BrennanCenter @PreetBharara @business @ASA_SciPol @AFGENational Dozens of reports - on issues like trade, food security, & food safety - will be delayed or discontinued, leaving policymakers in the dark.
“Without the information, you don’t have anything to inform policy. It’s the worst time to cut the availability of that information.”

@nytimes @nytclimate @LFFriedman @RudyMehrbani @WendyRWeiser @BrennanCenter @PreetBharara @business @ASA_SciPol @AFGENational The move has been devastating for employees, who were forced, without warning, to uproot their entire lives or find new jobs. Most chose the latter.
"There are stacks of reports and research completed with no staff left to publish the results." washingtonpost.com/opinions/2019/…