By Janan Lenzy, NFU Intern Communities across America depend on farmers and ranchers for a variety of provisions, and those producers’ livelihoods rely on being able to supply them. As uncontrollable environmental setbacks continue to occur with greater severity and frequency, farmers and ranchers should consider taking precautions to protect their operations from drastic losses. … Read More
Climate Column
What Should Farmers Know About Climate Change? Tree Assistance Program
By Janan Lenzy, NFU Intern The nursery tree and greenhouse industry is rapidly growing and contributing to the agricultural economy. However, climate change does not discriminate – irregular and extreme weather events interfere with anticipated growing seasons and production yields for essentially all agricultural sectors. When such events occur, farmers and ranchers largely rely on government-run … Read More
What Should Farmers Know About Climate Change? ELAP
By Janan Lenzy, NFU Intern In 2017, flooding, wildfires, hurricanes, and other natural disasters accounted for approximately $5 billion worth of economic losses in the US agriculture sector. The toll is expected to increase as climate change intensifies the strength and duration of these weather events. As a direct result, the amount of physical damage … Read More
What Should Farmers Know About Climate Change? Livestock Indemnity Program
By Janan Lenzy, NFU Intern Abnormal weather patterns have increasingly made livestock producers vulnerable to reduced outputs. Previously on the Climate Column, we’ve discussed tools developed by the U.S. Department Agriculture (USDA) that assist farmers with preparations for droughts and higher temperatures, but there are also programs that provide financial compensation and assistance for extreme … Read More
What Do Farmers Need to Know About Climate Change? Livestock Forage Program
By Tom Driscoll, Director of NFU Foundation and Conservation Policy A 2013 U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) bulletin notes that ongoing monitoring of climate data has led experts to anticipate “an increase in areas experiencing droughts and the occurrence of more intense precipitation events.” It’s self-evident to farmers and ranchers that greater incidence of these … Read More
What Can Farmers Do About Climate Change? Meeting Paris Agreement Goals
By Janan Lenzy, NFU Intern The Paris Climate Agreement was constructed within the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) in December of 2015. Adopted by consensus, the agreement aims to maintain “a global temperature rise” of less than 2 degrees Celsius or 35.6 degrees Fahrenheit by reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and improving … Read More
What Do Farmers Need to Know About Climate Change? Cattle Heat Stress Alert
By Janan Lenzy, NFU Intern Last week on the Climate Column, we discussed the risks of drought to agriculture, and proposed methods to help farmers prepare for and mitigate those risks. As drought increases in frequency, length, and severity and as temperatures rise globally, both of which are expected to occur as the climate continues to … Read More
What Do Farmers Need to Know About Climate Change? Monthly Drought Alerts
By Alexis Dunnum, NFU Executive Assistant As mentioned previously on the Climate Column, we have noted that drought is expected to become more frequent, severe, and damaging to farmers as climates continue to change around the world. Drought affects farming operations of all sizes and if farmers are not prepared, drought can lead to production … Read More
What Do Farmers Need to Know About Climate Change? Carbon Fee & Dividend
By Craig Ficenec, Volunteer with Citizens’ Climate Lobby Agriculture is getting more and more attention these days for its potential to sequester carbon in the soil. Many farmers and ranchers manage their land in ways that sustain production while offsetting greenhouse gas emissions from elsewhere. But how can we stimulate all sectors of the economy … Read More
What Do Farmers Need to Know About Climate Change? Carbon Fee & Dividend
By Craig Ficenec, Volunteer with Citizens’ Climate Lobby Agriculture is getting more and more attention these days for its potential to sequester carbon in the soil. Many farmers and ranchers manage their land in ways that sustain production while offsetting greenhouse gas emissions from elsewhere. But how can we stimulate all sectors of the economy … Read More
What Do Farmers Need to Know About Climate Change? Anticipating More Extreme Weather Related to El Nino
By Tom Driscoll, Director of NFU Foundation and Conservation Policy Climate change is likely to impact or exacerbate extreme weather events related to El Nino/Southern Oscillation (ENSO). According to The National Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), “ENSO is a periodic fluctuation in sea surface temperature (El Niño) and the air pressure of the overlying atmosphere … Read More
What Do Farmers Need to Know About Climate Change? United States Drought Monitor
By Tom Driscoll, Director of NFU Foundation and Conservation Policy On the Climate Column, we have noted that drought is expected to become more frequent, severe and damaging to farmers as the climate continues to change globally. Farmers with operations of all types and sizes need to be aware of drought. The length and intensity of … Read More
What Can Farmers Do About Climate Change? Soil Health and Drainage
By Tom Driscoll, Director of NFU Foundation and Conservation Policy Extreme precipitation is a serious concern for farmers as the climate continues to change. In many areas, downpours will be concentrated earlier in the year. Standing water and moist soil will work against farmers trying to get into the fields in time for crop insurance … Read More
What Can Farmers Do About Climate Change? Adapted Seeds
By Tom Driscoll, Director of Conservation Policy and NFU Foundation As we’ve noted on the Climate Column, climate change will disturb the precipitation patterns and temperatures on which farmers rely to grow crops. Farmers will need to adapt to these changes by implementing new practices and readjusting old ones. One option is selecting seeds for staple crops – … Read More
What Do Farmers Need to Know About Climate Change? California Air Resources Board Cap-and-Trade Program
By Tom Driscoll, Director of Conservation Policy and NFU Foundation Farming is one of the few professions with the ability to not only reduce ongoing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, but to also remove existing GHGs from the atmosphere. National Farmers Union supports policies and programs that maximize agriculture’s GHG elimination potential by offering value to farmers … Read More
What Do Farmers Need to Know About Climate Change? Credit Stacking and Water Quality Trading
By Tom Driscoll, Director of Conservation Policy and NFU Foundation Environmental markets, in addition to being science based, quantifiable, innovative, and permanent, will have to offer farmers adequate incentives to adopt new conservation practices. Cases in which a single practice achieves more than one quantifiable environmental benefit, verifiably reducing more than one pollutant, payments for credits … Read More
What Do Farmers Need to Know About Climate Change? COMET-Farm
By Tom Driscoll, Director of Conservation Policy and NFU Foundation Farmers are a key participant in mitigating climate change. Agriculture is one of a few sectors that can sink existing atmospheric greenhouse gasses (GHGs) as well as reduce emissions moving forward. Environmental markets could compensate farmers for natural resource conservation benefits achieved on their land. A … Read More
What Do Farmers Need to Know About Climate Change? New York Climate Smart Communities Certification
By Tom Driscoll, Director of Conservation Policy and NFU Foundation The Climate Column has covered practices that allow farmers to reduce emissions and sink carbon into their soil, like no-till, as well as methods that help farmers secure the food system by adapting to the changing climate, like intercropping. As the harmful consequences of climate change increase, … Read More
What Do Farmers Need to Know About Climate Change? Including Lentils in Crop Rotation
By Tom Driscoll, Director of NFU Foundation and Conservation Policy Here on the Climate Column, we have discussed the climate benefits that can be achieved through extending crop rotations. A longer rather than shorter rotation can mitigate erosion if the rotation reduces or eliminates time that soil lays bare; assist with pathogen, pest and weed … Read More
What Do Farmers Need to Know About Climate Change? EQIP
By Tom Driscoll, Director of NFU Foundation and Conservation Policy On the Climate Column, we have discussed many conservation practices, such as cover crops and stripcropping, that help farmers mitigate climate change, either by reducing emissions related to farming or by storing carbon in the soil. Many of these practices not only cut carbon emissions, but they … Read More
What Do Farmers Need to Know About Climate Change? Low-Carbon Transportation Future
By Tom Driscoll, Director of NFU Foundation and Conservation Policy This week is Climate Week in New York City. Georgetown Climate Center invited me to represent National Farmers Union (NFU) to their Low-Carbon Transportation Policy Symposium, where I’ll discuss business opportunities in low-carbon transportation. Producers and rural communities will benefit from expanded use of biofuels … Read More
What Can Farmers Do About Climate Change? Energy Efficiency
By Tom Driscoll, Director of NFU Foundation and Conservation Policy Farmers and ranchers are in a unique position to help address climate change. Using practices like conservation tillage and forage management, farmers can help the soil they work and plants they grow take greenhouse gasses out of the atmosphere, preventing them from interfering with the … Read More
What Do Farmers Need to Know About Climate Change? Cover Crops and Crop Insurance
By Matt Perdue, NFU Government Relations Representative Previous Climate Column posts have discussed how cover crops help farmers and ranchers adapt to and mitigate climate change. Planting cover crops can improve soil health and water quality, optimize water use, increase productivity, decrease input costs, and reduce carbon emissions. As cover crops grow in popularity, it’s crucial to … Read More
What Do Farmers Need to Know About Climate Change? Principles for Environmental Markets
By Tom Driscoll, Director of NFU Foundation and Conservation Policy Producers face many severe challenges stemming from climate change. A 2013 report published by the U.S Department of Agriculture, Climate Change and Agriculture in the United States: Effects and Adaptation, estimates that “under climate change, losses to corn production in the United States from precipitation … Read More
What Do Farmers Need to Know About Climate Change? Managing Pest Pressures
By Adam Pauley, NFU Intern For the past several weeks on the Climate Column, we’ve noted that climate change is contributing to rising pest pressures. Frost-sensitive pests are living longer, and rising temperatures are opening new areas to infestation. Farmers are responding to this growing problem by adjusting their pest management strategies. However, some common ways … Read More