The Potential Impacts of Climate Change on U.S. Agriculture: What Can Farmers Do About it? - September 29, 2003
- Go To:
- Introduction
- Agenda
- White Paper
- Press Release
- Lecture Videos
Briefing for Administration Agencies, NGOs and the Media
The City Club
Briefing for Congress
(PDF)
Dear Colleague Letter from Senators Harkin (D-IA), Lugar (R-IN), Nelson (D-NE),and Brownback (R-KS)
Made possible through generous support from The Energy Foundation,
Civil Society, and National Environment Trust
This briefing will examine some of the impacts of climate change on U.S.
agriculture, as well as what farmers can do to mitigate climate change
while also increasing profitability --through such practices as soil carbon
sequestration, biofuel production, and the use of wind energy on farms.
Since the 1970s, U.S. agricultural productivity has been greatly enhanced,
but it has also experienced greater variability that has been, in part,
climate-related. Extreme weather events (very high temperatures, torrential
rains and flooding, and droughts) and crop diseases and pests have taken
a heavy toll.
Greenhouse warming is expected to lead in future years to even more intense
and frequent extreme weather events, and to greater losses from diseases
and pests that may expand their ranges. While some farmers in the U.S.
growing certain crops in some years may prosper because of warmer temperatures,
more precipitation, and CO2 fertilization, U.S. agriculture in general
is likely to become increasingly unstable, and farmers may find it hard
to plan what crops to plant and when.
Videos:
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