Location: Oklahoma and Central Plains Agricultural Research Center
2022 Annual Report
Objectives
Objective 1: Enable climate-smart decision-making by developing science-based, region-specific information, tools and technologies for agricultural and natural resource managers, and provide assistance where possible to enhance adoption and implementation of the same. The work will be conducted as the Southern Plains USDA Climate Change Hub and will be coordinated with NRCS, FS, and other USDA and non-USDA organizations in accordance with guidance found in the USDA Climate Change Hubs Charter, and Terms of Reference.
Approach
The climate hubs relate directly to the Sustainable Agricultural Systems Research National Program (NP216) Action Plan (2018-2022), Component 3. Achieving Agroecosystem Potential and these problem statements: Problem Statement 3a. Sustaining Intensified Production; Problem Statement 3b. Enhancing ecosystem services; and Problem Statement 3c. Enabling decision support for sustainability.
Progress Report
The Southern Plains Climate Hub has actively re-engaged stakeholders in the region to meet Objective 1 and contribute substantially to both the USDA Climate Hubs network and Departmental climate initiatives. The Hub on-boarded two detailees for the director and coordinator positions (February-June 2022), and now have a permanent director and coordinator in-place to finish fiscal year (FY) 22.
Hub staff executed two major in-person workshops in the summer of FY22, including one that was postponed since 2020 due to the pandemic. In response to regional opportunities to build economic and climate resilience around carbon markets and wood products, the Southern Plains Climate Hub co-sponsored the, "Managing Carbon through Healthy Forests and Forest Products in the Changing Climate of the Southern Plains" Workshop with Kansas State Forest Service, Kansas State University, and other state and university partners. Over 60 participants attended representing federal, state, university, and private sectors including concerned citizens. Second, the Hub co-sponsored the Southern Plains Drought Early Warning System (DEWS) Drought Partners meeting with National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA) National Integrated Drought Information System (NIDIS), South Central Climate Adaptation Science Center (SC CASC), and other state/regional climate partners. The workshop demonstrated the importance of climate service partners in the region, and facilitated new relationships with Tribes, federal and state agencies, and university partners.
The Hub continues to expand outreach and engagement through an interagency agreement between ARS and Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) that funds Clay and Sara Pope, LLC (CSP), in the first three quarters of FY22, the Hub has produced 15 podcasts and 26 blog posts. These podcasts have included critical partners at the National Weather Service, Oklahoma Invasive Species Council, Oklahoma Conservation Commission, NRCS state conservationists, and state climatologists. Highlights include interviews with Senior Advisor for Climate to the Secretary and the USDA Risk Management Agency. Significant outreach events include an “Economics of Climate Smart Agriculture” summit in Enid, Oklahoma, with approximately 40 people in attendance, that provided agricultural producers with strategies to cope with extreme weather events like drought, floods, and wildfires that also save money and increase profits.
Given new funding opportunities through National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) and base funds, Hub staff pivoted quickly to ensure partners and stakeholders could leverage in support of Climate Hub and USDA priorities. Through the NIFA Agriculture and Food Research Initiative (AFRI) Climate Hubs-extension partnership grant program, the Hub was included on six letters of intent (LOIs) for FY22, all of which were invited to submit full proposals. This accomplishment is significant given the Southern Plains was the only region to not submit any proposals during the FY21 process. Projects outlined in the successful NIFA AFRI LOIs propose partnerships with the State Extension Service in Colorado, Kansas, New Mexico, Oklahoma, and Texas to promote climate smart agriculture aimed at increasing the resilience of farmers, ranchers, and rural communities in the Southern Plains, and expanding the reach of both extension and the Hub into underserved areas and communities of the region.
The Southern Plains Climate Hub has also been active supporting our university partners and partnering with them to co-develop and deliver innovative climate research and solutions for the region.
The Southern Plains Climate Hub signed a cooperative agreement with the University of Oklahoma for the project titled “Understanding the association between the Conservation Reserve Program, extreme weather, water quality, and economic development in the Southern Plains.” The project will engage researchers at University of Oklahoma (OU) and staff at the Economic Research Service to better understand how extreme weather events, such as drought and flooding, have affected changes in important USDA conservation programs like Conservation Reserve Program (CRP)/ Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program (CREP), and how these programmatic impacts also affect water treatment costs and local economic development.
The Southern Plains Climate Hub is in the process of signing cooperative agreements at Oklahoma State University and Kansas State University (KSU). Oklahoma State University will receive funds to assist CSP, LLC. with the development and implementation of a survey designed to assess climate awareness of participants of the ‘Climate Conversations’ series. Kansas State University will receive funds to launch the ‘Kansas Dialogues: Ogallala Aquifer Listening Sessions to Reduce Risk and Improve Profitability’. KSU will also receive funds to house a Southern Plains Climate Hub Fellow at KSU who will work with Hub staff and university staff on science/data synthesis; tool co-development and support; and outreach, convening, and training.
Finally, the Hub was successful in securing funds for FY23 to continue CSP, LLC. highly successful podcast and blog, as well as start “climate conversations” through Oklahoma Association of Conservation Districts working with Oklahoma State University and NRCS. This FY23 project contributes directly to NRCS priorities including building climate literacy among staff.
Accomplishments
