Resilient Agriculture: Weather Ready Farms

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Attributions ............................................................................................................................................. 2

Table of Contents..................................................................................................................................... 3

Authors and Contributors......................................................................................................................... 5

Resilient Agriculture: Weather Ready Farms Overview ............................................................................. 7 Need for Climate and Weather Resiliency in Agriculture................................................................................................... 7 Why Weather Ready Farms? .............................................................................................................................................. 8 Overview of Climate and Weather.......................................................................................................... 10 Climate of the Plains and Midwest ................................................................................................................................... 12 Climate Change ................................................................................................................................................................. 15 Historical Climate Trends of the Plains and Midwest....................................................................................................... 17 Climate Projections ........................................................................................................................................................... 20 Climate Change Perceptions and Social Science .............................................................................................................. 21 Farmer Risk Overview ............................................................................................................................ 23 Losses to Extreme Events: Drought .................................................................................................................................. 25 Losses to Extreme Events: Wind....................................................................................................................................... 26 Losses to Extreme Events: Flood ...................................................................................................................................... 26 Losses to Extreme Events: Hail ......................................................................................................................................... 28 Losses to Extreme Events: Frost/Freeze........................................................................................................................... 29 Losses to Extreme Events: Others .................................................................................................................................... 30 Nutrient Losses ................................................................................................................................................................. 30 Soil Losses ......................................................................................................................................................................... 31 Risk from Climate Change................................................................................................................................................. 32 Climate Change: Extreme Events...................................................................................................................................... 33 Climate Change: Pests ...................................................................................................................................................... 33 Climate Change: Water..................................................................................................................................................... 34 Farmer Resources Overview................................................................................................................... 37 Best Practices for Reducing Risk ....................................................................................................................................... 37 Best Agronomic Management Practices .......................................................................................................................... 38 Nutrient Management ...................................................................................................................................................... 39 Pest Management............................................................................................................................................................. 40 Weather and Climate Data for Decision Tools ................................................................................................................. 42