"The Agriculture Department’s research leaders appear to be doing damage control after reports that the agency suppressed climate science research and potentially violated its own scientific integrity policies.
The pushback comes after a Politico investigation found the USDA attempted to keep innovative government-funded climate change research from the public eye. And The Washington Post revealed earlier this year the agency required its in-house scientists to label their peer-reviewed studies as “preliminary” — a policy it reversed in May after criticism that such a disclaimer would diminish the impact of the work or prevent its publication.
In an internal letter sent to all research employees on Friday, USDA scientific directors and administrators argued that the department did not undermine climate research — and had not violated its scientific integrity policy."
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