What does this mean for farm operations?

As we know, weather affects most, if not all operations on a farm, from seeding, tillage, nutrient applications, spray decisions, harvest, livestock management, feed rations, etc. The impacts of climate variability will differ from region to region, but below is a short summary of the potential impacts, some positive and some negative:

• Temperature increases which could add more frost-free and growing degree days that could improve yields and enable new cropping types in some regions.
• More frequent and intense storms, floods, and drought could be expected annually, increasing food production risk.
• Warmer winter temperatures could increase pest and disease pressure by improving overwintering survival of new and existing species.
• Tree fruit crops may be especially vulnerable to variable temperatures in the fall (harding off) and spring frosts. More variability in spring and fall temperatures can stress fruit trees causing blossom loss due to late frosts.
• Increased frost-free periods may provide opportunities for the expansion of warm weather crops such as corn and soybeans as well as a potential northwards expansion of agricultural production where soils permit.
• Reduced precipitation later in the growing season, coupled with increased heat will cause stress to plants and may have a negative impact on yields and quality, especially in oilseeds.
• Reduced streamflow, less snowmelt to recharge rivers and earlier peak flows could lead to reduced access to water for irrigation during the summer and greater competition for groundwater reserves from multiple industries.
• Increased temperatures and water rationing could potentially affect livestock health, resulting in reduced milk, egg, and meat production and even fatalities, increased cooling costs for producers.
• Higher CO2 levels may result in greater productivity from crops such as wheat, barley, canola, soybeans, and potatoes.
• Combined with higher summer temperatures, increased evapotranspiration, variable rainfall amounts will impact soil moisture levels for crop development and yield.

As the image suggests, the development of new technologies will help offset some of the changes with climate variability and offer new opportunities. One such technique is digital or IoT agriculture, which can provide accurate and timely information for multiple management decisions: seeding, spray timing, nutrient requirements, pest control, disease management, work planning, and livestock health. These digital or IoT tools connect the field-farm with timely and trusted information, which provides solutions for better management, optimizing inputs and reduced risk. (Images below)