An article in AgWeb this week with the title above describes a recent report called “Heat in the Heartland” that was written by a number of prominent business leaders about potential threats to corn and other agricultural crops as well as livestock in a warming climate. You can read the article here. The article describes some of the impacts that crop and animal production are likely to see if current warming trends continue. These impacts including things like reduced crop yield and more heat stress on livestock, but also include transportation issues like rivers closed to barge traffic due to low water levels.
Many of the impacts listed are also applicable to Southeastern agriculture. The business leaders say that many of these impacts can be reduced with smart planning. In fact, Southeastern producers have been dealing with warmer temperatures for years (since we are farther south, where it is naturally warmer) and may be able to provide valuable information to northern farmers about adaptation strategies.
