Changing climatic conditions are having a wide ranging impact on agriculture in the Midwest including changes in crop yields, season length, and soil health. To support Midwest specialty crop producers work through these changes, the Midwest Climate Hub, Midwestern Regional Climate Center (MRCC) and National Drought Mitigation Center (NDMC) are partnering to determine data needs and develop additional tools, educational resources and other information for producers to better adapt to a variable and changing climate.

Objectives

• Host several workshops with specialty crop producers and extension staff to determine specific data and tool needs as well as climate change education needs.
• Identify pro-active measures that would help maximize yields during potential drought events.
• Create and deploy a survey (see sidebar) about climate needs and attitudes of specialty crop producers.
• Create several resources on climate change impacts and adaptation options for specific, important, non-row crops in the Midwest.

Quick Handouts

Specialty Crop Production Needs Related to Climate Information Survey (pdf)

Midwest Specialty Crop Producers Use of Climate and Drought Information: Assessment and Improving Decision-making in a Changing Climate (pdf)

Operational Resources

The Midwest Ag Focus Outlooks are produced by the Midwest Climate Hub monthly or when needed. We utilize NOAA outlooks placing them in context for agriculture in the Midwest based on current impacts. Please contact the Midwest Climate Hub with questions or for more information.

The U.S. Drought Monitor is produced through a partnership between the National Drought Mitigation Center at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, the United States Department of Agriculture, and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. The Drought Monitor summary map identifies general drought areas, labelling droughts by intensity, with D1 being the least intense and D4 being the most intense. D0, drought watch areas, are either drying-out and possibly heading for drought, or are recovering from drought but not yet back to normal, suffering long-term impacts such as low reservoir levels.

Publications and Research Papers

USDA Midwest and Northern Forests Regional Climate Hub: Assessment of Climate Change Vulnerability and Adaptation and Mitigation Strategies (2015)

North Central Fruit, Vegetable and Wine Growers’ Assessment of Soil and Water Vulnerability Under Changing Climate Conditions and Extreme Weather Events

Adaptation Resources for Agriculture Workbook

Happening Around the Region

Various state networks and state climatologists have some specialty crop tools available: Check out your state here.

Monthly North Central U.S. Climate and Drought Update Webinar Series. This is a National Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and climate partners’ monthly briefing that covers the region from the Rockies to the Great Lakes. Subject matter includes a summary of past and current conditions in terms of many climate variables like snowpack, temperatures, precipitation, etc.  In addition, potential and ongoing impacts from climate phenomena will be considered across sectors (agriculture, water resources, etc.).  Finally, outlook information from two weeks to the next few months/seasons is discussed.

Tools