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Climate report: Wx extremes pose biggest ag risks

One of the USDA researchers who contributed to the Trump Administration climate assessment report tells Brownfield there is a definite concern about agriculture from temperature increases over the next 50 to 70 years and the resulting weather extremes, “The temperature extremes are going to be more often and that would drastically affect productivity of crops,” says Dr. Prasanna Gowda. Gowda is a research leader at USDA-ARS Grazinglands Research Laboratory in El Reno, Oklahoma, and was involved in the efforts to produce the report.

Gowda tells Brownfield Ag News it’s the extreme conditions caused by climate change – drought, wildfires, flooding – that will hurt crops and livestock the most, “That is what is going to affect a lot more of agricultural productivity than anything else.”

Gowda says USDA researchers continue to work on many remedies to mitigate the effects of climate change. One example is the USDA’s work to develop numerous drought tolerant varieties of major crops that can withstand extreme temperatures.

AUDIO: Interview with Prasanna Gowda ~