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ARS Home » Midwest Area » Ames, Iowa » National Laboratory for Agriculture and The Environment » Soil, Water & Air Resources Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #330301
Title: Adaptation resources for agriculture: responding to climate variability and change in the midwest and northeast

Author
item JANOWIAK, MARIA - Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS, USDA)
item DOSTIE, DAN - Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS, USDA)
item WILSON, MIKE - Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS, USDA)
item KUCERA, MIKE - Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS, USDA)
item Hatfield, Jerry
item HOLLINGER, DAVID - US Department Of Agriculture (USDA)
item Skinner, Robert
item SWANSON, CHRIS - US Department Of Agriculture (USDA)

Submitted to: USDA NRCS Technical Notes
Publication Type: Government Publication
Publication Acceptance Date: 9/11/2016
Publication Date: 10/15/2016
Citation: Janowiak, M., Dostie, D., Wilson, M., Kucera, M., Hatfield, J.L., Hollinger, D., Skinner, R.H., Swanson, C. 2016. Adaptation resources for agriculture: responding to climate variability and change in the midwest and northeast. USDA Washington DC Technical Bulletin 1944. 1-72.

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: This report is intended to provide perspective, information, and tools to support agricultural producers in the Midwest and Northeast regions of the U.S. in responding to climate variability and change. Climate change adaptation can be broadly defined to include all adjustments, both planned and unplanned, in natural and human systems in response to climatic changes and subsequent effects. Since the effects of climate change are complex and far-reaching, and the scope, severity, and pace of future impacts are difficult to predict, numerous government agencies and university and private partners are working to develop information, resources, and tools to help support adaptation in agriculture and other sectors. Of particular interest to agricultural producers, the USDA is providing assistance for climate change response through a multi-pronged effort including research, education, extension, risk management, and strategic planning. In this report we focus on the deliberate integration of climate change information into decision-making and implementation actions within the control of agricultural producers. While it is beyond the scope of this document to comprehensively address all potential adaptations within the agricultural system, such as new technologies or changes in tariffs or the use of crop insurance programs, it is possible to extend the use of scientific information about future climate change impacts to the scale of individual farms. Individual farms have unique goals in the areas of profitability, productivity, land stewardship, or any combination thereof, depending on its unique needs, and many climate change adaptation actions can benefit these farm-wide goals while also adjusting systems to changing conditions.