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Hubs to deal with climate change threats

The USDA is establishing regional Climate Hubs to address what it says are increasing risks of fires, invasive pests, floods, and droughts associated with climate change.

U.S. Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack announced the creation of seven regional hubs, in addition to three sub-hubs that he says will translate science and research into information for farmers, ranchers, and forest landowners. Specifically, the information focuses on ways to adapt and adjust resource management, according to a news release from the USDA.

In his State of the Union Address, President Obama pledged to act on climate change. Wednesday’s announcement is part of the President’s Climate Action Plan.

Lawmakers are apparently just becoming familiar with the Climate Hubs.  Congresswoman Kristi Noem of South Dakota says she’s generally pleased with the plan but will be keeping her eye on it.

“I think it’s great that we’re putting some tools in place that would make sure we get information to farmers and people in rural areas that deal with extreme weather,” Noem told reporters, during a conference call Wednesday. “I think that that is certainly a worthy goal, but I don’t want it to be some kind of a masked attempt by the administration to put more restrictions on farmers or try to implement climate change regulations that would be very detrimental to their family businesses.”

USDA’s Climate Hubs are committed to developing technologies and tools farmers need to adapt to changing climate, said Secretary Vilsack.

As an example, the USDA cites Midwest growing seasons as having lengthened by almost two weeks since 1950. The agency estimates that from 2011 to 2013, drought has cost the U.S. $50 billion.

The following locations have been selected to serve as their region’s center of climate change information and outreach to mitigate risks to the agricultural sector:

• Midwest: National Laboratory for Agriculture and the Environment, Agricultural Research Service, Ames, Iowa

o Sub-Hub in Houghton, Mich.

• Northeast: Northern Research Station, Forest Service, Durham, N.H.

• Southeast: Southern Research Station, Forest Service, Raleigh, N.C.

o Sub-Hub in Rio Piedras, Puerto Rico

• Northern Plains: National Resources Center, Agricultural Research Service, Fort Collins, Colo.

• Southern Plains: Grazinglands Research Lab, Agricultural Research Service, El Reno, Okla.

• Pacific Northwest: Pacific Northwest Research Station, Forest Service, Corvallis, Ore.

• Southwest: Rangeland Management Unit/Jornada Experimental Range, Agricultural Research Service, Las Cruces, N.M.

 Sub-hub in Davis, Calif.

Brownfield reporter Julie Harker contributed to this article.