Usually when I think of climate and agriculture I think of how climate and weather affect crop growth. But AgWeb posted a story this week that turns the usual order on its head. They reported (link) that the Iowa Department of Transportation is paying about 70 farmers to keep several rows of corn next to roads standing through the winter to act as natural snow fences. They help trap blowing snow, which keeps it off the roads and makes it easier to plow and keep the roads clear. Once the winter is over, the farmers can go back and harvest the standing rows of corn. So while usually weather affects agriculture through local growing conditions, in this case, local agriculture is helping to prevent impacts from a snowy winter. Minnesota also has a program that pays farmers to grow living snow fences (link).
