Location: Soil, Water & Air Resources Research
Project Number: 5030-21600-001-011-R
Project Type: Reimbursable Cooperative Agreement
Start Date: Apr 1, 2023
End Date: Mar 31, 2026
Objective:
The goal of this project is to understand producers’ needs for information related to alternative agricultural systems, to consolidate existing resources related to future crop suitability, and to enhance climate change communication training for Extension educators and others in the agricultural sector.
Approach:
ARS will work with the full project team to conduct visioning sessions to understand producers’ needs for information about adapting agricultural systems to a changing climate and to help guide additional product development by better understanding producer needs in adopting new process/systems. Through a postdoc (to be hired from this proposal) and project staff, ARS will help consolidate and organize existing resources for climate adaptation across the region, including such issues as changes in management strategies and full-scale cropping changes. These will be compiled with other partners in conjunction with information gathered from visioning sessions. ARS will partner on developing and conducting training for Extension educators on these adaptation strategies and how to help producers incorporate them into agricultural operations. The team will review three main systems: traditional row crop, integrated livestock and specialty crops across the Corn Belt, but focusing in the eastern Corn Belt.
