Climate and Ag in the news
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By all accounts, the recent rains that fell on California after years of drought triggered an explosion of color as plants that have been dormant for years have burst out in a blaze of flowers. You can see some pictures here at EarthSky. But even more amazing is the image I saw today which showed…
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Drovers Newsletter published a story this week on the use of prescribed fire to manage grazing land. They note that “when used correctly, fire can improve habitat for a variety of wildlife species, forage for cattle, and conditions for oak regeneration among other things.” But you need to consider a variety of factors carefully well…
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A recent study published by University of Illinois scientists looked at how farmers plan their field work for different times of year and how their scheduling is likely to change under a warmer, more variable climate. While the study looked specifically at Illinois producers, it shows that thinking about how to manage your farm schedules…
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Ben Potter of AgWeb posted an interesting short story this week on how farmers can improve their operations by using weather sensors in their fields to make better management decisions. In the past, farmers have used available weather data from nearby official stations to help decide when to plant and harvest or if irrigation is…
Posted in: Climate and Ag in the news -
People that are skeptical about the warming effect of carbon dioxide often point to the fertilization effect of CO2 on plants, causing them to grow more rapidly. Of course, that is just one factor in the growth of plants–they also need water, nutrients and sunlight to grow. A New York Times article this week describes…
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As the climate changes and warmer temperatures move towards the poles, there will be winners and losers. Food and Wine features one of the winners in a warmer climate–wine producers in the south of England, who are now able to produce sparkling wines that rival the traditional Champagnes of France. It’s not just the changing…
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Brad Haire of the Southeast Farm Press published a compelling story this week about one blueberry growers’ family and their efforts to save this year’s bumper crop from the killing frost which hit the Southeast in mid-March. Many producers will be able to relate to the decisions the family made to try to save their…