1 Table of contents 53

Resilient Agriculture: Weather Ready Farms

The Resilient Agriculture: Weather Ready Farms publication was created to help the agricultural industry become more resilient to weather extremes, climate variability and climate change. It is based on the Weather Ready Farms model developed by Nebraska Extension. The focus is primarily on field crop farms and producers in the Great Plains and Midwest regions of the United States. Many of the concepts and discussions within this publication can be utilized and adapted for other regions and agricultural operations.

Attributions		2
Table of Contents		3
Authors and Contributors		5
Publication Authors for all five chapters:		5
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
Crop Management		41
Soil Health and Water Conservation		41
Weather and Climate Data for Decision Tools		42
Best Economic Management Practices		43
Crop Insurance Products		44
Public-Private Partnerships in Crop Insurance		45
Other USDA Programs		46
REFERENCES Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education. (n.d.). SARE [Website]. Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education (SARE), United States Department of Agriculture. https://www.sare.org/		47
Weather Ready Farms Overview		48
WRF Market Research		49
WRF Self-Assessment		50
WRF Education		51
WRF Verification		51
WRF Certification		52
WRF Next Steps		53

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