Climate change report outlines changes to agriculture
May 06, 2014 | 11:59 PM
The White House today released its third and latest assessment of climate change, including a special chapter on agriculture that declares climate change is affecting farming in every region of the country.
John Holdren
“Climate change is not a distant threat,” John Holdren, President Barack Obama’s science adviser, said at a White House briefing, adding that it is affecting the county now with hotter summers and earlier forest fires.
“For years we have been collecting the dots, now we are connecting the dots,” Holdren added.
“Crop and animal agriculture producers are already facing increased challenges,” said Gene Takle, an Iowa State University professor, at a White House briefing.
Takle, one of the convening lead authors of the agriculture section of the report, noted that every region of the country has crops and animals that have adapted to local conditions. But he said those conditions are changing, with more severe storms, earlier hot weather and worse forest fires.
Gene Takle
The White House report includes a chapter on how climate change affects farming in various regions of the country. Takle noted that California cherry trees, which have been accustomed to 900 hours of “chilling” between seasons in California, no longer get that much of a break.
“Farmers are beginning to connect the dots and realize that things underpinning are changing,” he said.
Takle also noted that the impact of climate change is not just on direct crop and animal production, but on side industries such as transportation.
“Food miles” — the number of miles that agricultural products travel from production to consumption — should be reduced, Takle said.
“Why do we need strawberries from Argentina in January?” he said, commenting that he hopes Americans can go back to the excitement surrounding the arrival of strawberries in season in their area.
Lindene Patton of Zurich NA, an insurance company, said the climate assessment and government action to deal with climate change are important, noting that while insurance can shore up a business after a weather event, it cannot guarantee that a company’s customers and employees will still be there.
Agriculture in valleys in the northeastern part of the country are threatened by more intense rainstorms and flooding, said Radley Horton of Columbia University.
Ed Maibach
Ed Maibach, a professor at George Mason University, said the group that may have the most influence in teaching the public about climate change may be TV weather personalities.
Weather forecasters “are highly trusted,” almost as trusted as climate scientists, Maibach said.
“The No. 1 source of weather in America is local television,” Maibach noted, pointing out that forecasters make weather information understandable and fun.
Miabach has been undertaking research with the forecasters to determine how they can help teach people about climate change. The result, he said, is that the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, the American Metrological Society and academics are lining up to teach Americans about climate change.
John Podesta
John Podesta, counselor to the president, urged the scientists who attended the event to push Congress and other politicians to take action.
Even though some conservative groups question whether climate change exists, the assessment proves “there is no debate,” Podesta said. “It is real, it is being driven by human activity.”
All the panelists called for action to reduce climate change.
Kristin Jacobs, a Broward County, Florida, commissioner and the only elected official on the panel, said that that the level of partisan debate in Washington troubles her, and that she hopes local officials will have “the spine to stand up against what some ideologues want them to say.”
Bull Bennett, a consultant, quoted Sitting Bull, who said, “Let us put our minds together to see what we can build for our children. Our time is now.”
Full National Climate Assessment online — Overview online — Agriculture chapter online — Land Use and Land Cover Change online — Rural Communities chapter online — Reports by Regions online
Full National Climate Assessment PDF — Highlights PDF — Overview PDF — Agriculture chapter PDF — Land Use and Land Cover Change PDF — Rural Communities chapter PDF — FAQs PDF
John Holdren
“Climate change is not a distant threat,” John Holdren, President Barack Obama’s science adviser, said at a White House briefing, adding that it is affecting the county now with hotter summers and earlier forest fires.
“For years we have been collecting the dots, now we are connecting the dots,” Holdren added.
“Crop and animal agriculture producers are already facing increased challenges,” said Gene Takle, an Iowa State University professor, at a White House briefing.
Takle, one of the convening lead authors of the agriculture section of the report, noted that every region of the country has crops and animals that have adapted to local conditions. But he said those conditions are changing, with more severe storms, earlier hot weather and worse forest fires.
Gene Takle
The White House report includes a chapter on how climate change affects farming in various regions of the country. Takle noted that California cherry trees, which have been accustomed to 900 hours of “chilling” between seasons in California, no longer get that much of a break.
“Farmers are beginning to connect the dots and realize that things underpinning are changing,” he said.
Takle also noted that the impact of climate change is not just on direct crop and animal production, but on side industries such as transportation.
“Food miles” — the number of miles that agricultural products travel from production to consumption — should be reduced, Takle said.
“Why do we need strawberries from Argentina in January?” he said, commenting that he hopes Americans can go back to the excitement surrounding the arrival of strawberries in season in their area.
Lindene Patton of Zurich NA, an insurance company, said the climate assessment and government action to deal with climate change are important, noting that while insurance can shore up a business after a weather event, it cannot guarantee that a company’s customers and employees will still be there.
Agriculture in valleys in the northeastern part of the country are threatened by more intense rainstorms and flooding, said Radley Horton of Columbia University.
Ed Maibach
Ed Maibach, a professor at George Mason University, said the group that may have the most influence in teaching the public about climate change may be TV weather personalities.
Weather forecasters “are highly trusted,” almost as trusted as climate scientists, Maibach said.
“The No. 1 source of weather in America is local television,” Maibach noted, pointing out that forecasters make weather information understandable and fun.
Miabach has been undertaking research with the forecasters to determine how they can help teach people about climate change. The result, he said, is that the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, the American Metrological Society and academics are lining up to teach Americans about climate change.
John Podesta
John Podesta, counselor to the president, urged the scientists who attended the event to push Congress and other politicians to take action.
Even though some conservative groups question whether climate change exists, the assessment proves “there is no debate,” Podesta said. “It is real, it is being driven by human activity.”
All the panelists called for action to reduce climate change.
Kristin Jacobs, a Broward County, Florida, commissioner and the only elected official on the panel, said that that the level of partisan debate in Washington troubles her, and that she hopes local officials will have “the spine to stand up against what some ideologues want them to say.”
Bull Bennett, a consultant, quoted Sitting Bull, who said, “Let us put our minds together to see what we can build for our children. Our time is now.”
National Climate Assessment
Key messages on agriculture
- Increasing Impacts on Agriculture — Climate disruptions to agricultural production have increased in the past 40 years and are projected to increase over the next 25 years. By mid-century and beyond, these impacts will be increasingly negative on most crops and livestock.
- Weeds, Diseases, and Pests — Many regions will experience declines in crop and livestock production from increased stress due to weeds, diseases, insect pests, and other climate-change-induced stresses.
- Extreme Precipitation and Soil Erosion — Current loss and degradation of critical agricultural soil and water assets due to increasing extremes in precipitation will continue to challenge both rainfed and irrigated agriculture unless innovative conservation methods are implemented.
- Heat and Drought Damage — The rising incidence of weather extremes will have increasingly negative impacts on crop and livestock productivity because critical thresholds are already being exceeded.
- Rate of Adaptation — Agriculture has been able to adapt to recent changes in climate; however, increased innovation will be needed to ensure the rate of adaptation can keep pace with climate change over the next 25 years.
- Food Security — Climate change effects on agriculture will have consequences for food security, both in the U.S. and globally, through changes in crop yields and food prices and effects on food processing, storage, transportation, and retailing. Adaptation measures can help delay and reduce some of these impacts.
Key messages on rural communities
- Rural Economies — Rural communities are highly dependent upon natural resources for their livelihoods and social structures. Climate-change-related impacts will progressively increase over this century and will shift the locations where rural economic activities like agriculture, forestry, and recreation can thrive.
- Responding to Risks — Physical isolation, limited economic diversity, and higher poverty rates, combined with an aging population, increase the vulnerability of rural communities to climate-change risks. Systems of fundamental importance to rural populations are already stressed by remoteness and limited access.
- Adaptation — Responding to additional challenges will require significant adaptation within rural transportation and infrastructure systems, as well as health and emergency response systems. Governments in rural communities have limited institutional capacity to respond to, plan for, and anticipate climate-change impacts.
Interactive Online Versions
Full National Climate Assessment online — Overview online — Agriculture chapter online — Land Use and Land Cover Change online — Rural Communities chapter online — Reports by Regions online
PDF Downloads
Full National Climate Assessment PDF — Highlights PDF — Overview PDF — Agriculture chapter PDF — Land Use and Land Cover Change PDF — Rural Communities chapter PDF — FAQs PDF
