This Climate Adaptation planning guide for farms will help operators to identify goals, potential climate impacts, risks to farm operations, and identify practice that may help to mitigate or adapt to those risks.
The economic tools, visualizations, and resources on this website were designed with and for small, medium, and beginning farmers and ranchers in New England to help address their unique challenges in adapting to a changing climate. These resources are available for three agricultural practices - silvopasture, irrigation, and tarping - that were identified as areas of particular interest and need...
The USDA Forest Service Climate Change Resource Center (CCRC) is a national online resource that connects natural resource and land managers with science-based climate change and ecosystem management information and tools.
This informative SARE webpage discusses how to understand climate risk and resilience, how to manage resources (natural, human, social, physical, and financial) in order to build climate resilience, and how to start assessing one's own risks and strategies on the farm or ranch.
Soil water availability is the amount of plant-available water that is stored in the soil profile at a specific point in time. Plant-available water is affected by many factors including soil physical properties, temperature, precipitation, irrigation, crop type, and more. Too little water for an extended period of time in the soil can reduce yield and impact plant quality because drought causes...
Soil water availability is the amount of plant-available water that is stored in the soil profile at a specific point in time. Plant-available water is affected by many factors including soil physical properties, temperature, precipitation, irrigation, crop type, and more. Too little water for an extended period of time in the soil can reduce yield and impact plant quality because drought causes...
Soil water availability is the amount of plant-available water that is stored in the soil profile at a specific point in time. Plant-available water is affected by many factors including soil physical properties, temperature, precipitation, irrigation, crop type, and more. Too little water for an extended period of time in the soil can reduce yield and impact plant quality because drought causes...
The NRCS state case studies provide access to state specific topics for technical assistance, financial assistance, farm bill information, how to assess soil and water quality testing, etc.
The NRCS state case studies provide access to state specific topics for technical assistance, financial assistance, farm bill information, how to assess soil and water quality testing, etc.
This NOAA site provides climate information at multiple scales and across multiple variables, such as temperature, precipitation and drought. It includes state of the climate, climate at a glance, extremes, snow and ice, etc.
The economic tools, visualizations, and resources on this website were designed with and for small, medium, and beginning farmers and ranchers1 in New England to address the unique challenges they face in adapting to climate change. These resources are available for three agricultural practices - silvopasture, irrigation, and tarping - that were identified as areas of particular interest and need...
This site provides links to daily weather summaries, NOAA weather forecasts, pest forecasts, Extension resources, and crop management tools based on a given location.
This guide is intended to summarize our experiences with day-neutral strawberry varieties at the University of New Hampshire and to share data from our trials as a benchmark for day-neutral performance in the region.
This is a report done by University of New Hampshire researches on the comparison between growing different pepper varieties in the field vs a greenhouse. The purpose of the study was to help vegetable farmers adapt to the weather variability brought on by climate change.
Northeast Climate Hub partners have published two new studies exploring how a changing climate is affecting regional crops - hear from lead author of Challenges and Opportunities for NE Crop Production in a Changing Climate, David Wolfe.
This webinar looks at how energy-oriented design and operation can impact the resilience (the capacity to recover quickly from challenges) and long term success of farm operations, as well as identify common energy strategies for farm viability and resilience.
Participate to understand the potential viability of small-scale manure digesters and available resources through the REAP program and how to leverage with other federal programs.
Learn how climate change is affecting agriculture in the Northeast, and how Cornell University is developing new resources through its Climate Smart Farming (CSF) program to help farmers to make more informed decisions to increase resiliency and reduce greenhouse gas emissions in the face of climate change.
Participate to understand collaborative modeling approaches that are available to assess the impacts of climate change on critical source areas (CSAs) of watershed nutrient pollution (e.g., N,P,TSS), how best management practices (BMPs) will perform under alternative climate trends, and possible extension approaches to improve BMP adoption.
Participate in this webinar to understand the current and potential effects that climate change will have on livestock farmers across the country.
Learn how carbon is sequestered in agricultural soils and how agriculture can contribute to climate change mitigation and help Maryland reach its GHG reduction goals
Northeast Climate Hub partners have published two new studies exploring how a changing climate is affecting regional livestock - hear from the lead author of Climate change effects on livestock in the Northeast US and strategies for adaptation, Alexander Hristov.
Use available UNIX-based scripts to automate access to free weather data from NOAA/NWS databases, as well as examples of how such data can be translated into weather-based farm management decisions by automated analysis and export of presentation graphics through Microsoft Excel.
This webinar will cover recent and ongoing research designed to help Northeast vegetable producers improve on-farm water efficiency.
Webinar participants will learn how shallow groundwater from glacial till aquifers can provide a high quality water supply for agricultural and domestic use.
Learn how to navigate the Network for Environment and Weather Applications (NEWA) and Cornell Climate Smart Farming (CSF) Program websites and use their agricultural decision-making tools based on weather and climate.
Participants will become aware of the social, ecological and economic drivers and implications of certain management practices that may reduce farm-scale risks producers in the northeast face because of climate change.
This paper describes the results of a survey and research project about adaptive management practices in the face of a changing climate in New England.
To address the potential loss of our precious top soil, we created sod pathways between cultivated garlic beds. These pathways are large enough to drive our farm truck or tractor down, making tasks like picking up plastic mulch at the end of the year easier. The sod also does a great job of catching any soil that would drive down hill during heavy rains.
Information about specific disasters and emergencies, how to prepare, recover, and help build long-term resilience for a variety of climate related disaster events.
Demonstrates drought projections for the week, as well as historical context from varying time frames, specified for the Northeastern region of the U.S.
NTT is a web-based, site-specific application that estimates nutrient and sediment losses for crop and pasture at the field and/or watershed scales. Agricultural producers and land managers can define a number of management scenarios for any given field or area of interest (AOI). NTT will estimate nutrient (nitrogen and phosphorus) losses, sediment losses, and crop yields differences between the...
This two-page research summary addresses the trade-offs rural communities face when increased flooding damages public and private land, and makes farming more risky. The authors also provide a link for teaching resources on this topic. The summary was created by collaborators from UMass Amherst, the University of Vermont, the University of Arizona, and the USDA Northeast Climate Hub.
Researchers from MISTRA EviEM reviewed 351 published research studies looking at carbon(C) sequestration in the soil profile under different tillage management systems. They found C stock increases under no-tillage compared to full tillage in the upper soil (0-30 cm) in studies of 10 years or more, while no effect was detected in the full soil profile.
Rainfall intensity is increasing in the Northeastern U.S. Stabilizing gullies is one strategy for adapting to this changing climate. This case study evaluates the costs and benefits of restoring gullies at Last Resort Farm.
To ensure long-term farm success and sustainability, Rhode Island farmers will need to stay abreast of environmental trends and employ management practices that address natural resource concerns associated with weather variability. High tunnels are a tool that can help farmers adapt to increasingly irregular weather conditions by protecting crops and soil during severe weather events.
The USDA Northeast Climate Hub partnered with University of Delaware, and other USDA and land grant collaborators to create a virtual network of climate-informed farm and forest demonstration sites called, 'As If You Were There.' This tour explores the silvopasture systems and adaptive management practices at Dickinson College Farm.
Heavy rains are becoming more frequent across the Northeastern United States and increasing soil erosion and nutrient runoff problems. Wetter weather in the spring and fall is reducing the number of days that fields can be worked. Consider planting cover crops to help adapt to these climate trends.
The USDA Northeast Climate Hub partnered with University of Delaware, and other USDA and land grant collaborators to create a virtual network of climate-informed farm and forest demonstration sites called, 'As If You Were There.' Visit the research and variety trials happening at the University of Maine's Highmoor Farm. Maine is a state known for its long, cold winters and short growing season...
The USDA Northeast Climate Hub partnered with University of Delaware, and other USDA and land grant collaborators to create a virtual network of climate-informed farm and forest demonstration sites called, 'As If You Were There.' To deal with their organic wastes, Cornell is using slow pyrolysis to create biochar, and also composting. Both can be used as soil amendments and to sequester carbon.
Farm managers, Nelson Cecarelli and William DellaCamera, candidly speak about their diversified vegetable operation in Northford, Connecticut, and the changes that Cecarelli Farms has gone through to become both a more sustainable and efficient operation.
As illustrated by Cecarelli Farms, there are many actions a farm can take to lessen the impacts – or even take advantage of - climate trends. Through conversations with farm manager, William DellaCamera, some actions Cecarelli Farms has taken include the use of deep zone tillage to combat soil erosion from heavy rains, installation of a SDI system to more efficiently target water to crop roots (...
Clovercrest Farm is a small-scale dairy farm owned by Steve Morrison and Sonja Heyck-Merlin located in Charleston, Maine, 25 miles outside of Bangor. They milk 95 Jersey cattle on 250 acres, of which 125 acres are pasture and 125 acres are wooded. The farm rents 350 acres of cropland in the surrounding area to grow winter forage. Clovercrest Farm is pasture-based and has been certified USDA...
a one page summary of the 'Northeast and Northern Forests Regional Climate Hub Assessment of Climate Change Vulnerability and Adaptation and Mitigation Strategies'
Farmers, ranchers, and foresters in the Northeast are feeling the pressures of a changing climate and increasing weather variability. In recent years the Northeast has experienced large increases in the frequency and intensity of heavy rains, more so than any other part of the country. In 2016, while record rains fell in the southern part of this region (WV), many other parts of the Northeast...
The USDA Northeast Climate Hub partnered with University of Delaware, and other USDA and land grant collaborators to create a virtual network of climate-informed farm and forest demonstration sites called, 'As If You Were There.' As the climate continues to change, food security will likely remain an issue. Urban food hubs like the East Capitol Urban Farm can help mitigate the effects of warming...
The USDA Northeast Climate Hub partnered with University of Delaware, and other USDA and land grant collaborators to create a virtual network of climate-informed farm and forest demonstration sites called, 'As If You Were There.' In this virtual tour, Penn State University researchers are studying cropping systems that can make dairy farming more sustainable in the face of a changing climate.
The USDA Northeast Climate Hub partnered with University of Delaware, and other USDA and land grant collaborators to create a virtual network of climate-informed farm and forest demonstration sites called, 'As If You Were There.' The Delaware State University (DSU) Outreach...
The USDA Northeast Climate Hub partnered with University of Delaware, and other USDA and land grant collaborators to create a virtual network of climate-informed farm and forest demonstration sites called, 'As If You Were There.' Visit the University of Vermont research happening on working dairy farms to see how management practices can affect water quality, economics, and greenhouse gas...
Researchers and farmers work towards efficient irrigation by comparing crop water needs to weekly applications on diversified Vermont vegetable farms
Climate records show that the Northeast is experiencing more rainfall. However, much of the additional precipitation is occurring as heavy events, leaving intervening periods of hot and dry weather. With this extreme and variable wet weather taking its toll on farms, a key question is: Does crop irrigation make sense as a farm resilience strategy given the overall increased precipitation in the...
The USDA Northeast Climate Hub partnered with University of Delaware, and other USDA and land grant collaborators to create a virtual network of climate-informed farm and forest demonstration sites called, 'As If You Were There.' At the University of Delaware's Warrington Irrigation Research Farm, researchers are improving irrigation to boost crop yields and manage soil and water resources.
Heavy rain events have increased dramatically in the Northeastern United States. These downpours are causing more soil erosion and nutrient runoff. Increasing summer temperatures may also amplify plant stress and limit productivity. Consider adapting to these climate trends on your farm by using a rotational stocking system.
this report provides an overview of regional agriculture and forest system sensitivities to climate change and adaptation strategies, a greenhouse gas emissions and mitigation profile for the region, and a summary of the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) programs that are vulnerable to a changing climate and what is being done to build resilience on working lands through these programs.
The proceedings from this workshop include recorded talks, summaries and synthesis of discussion. Together, this document captures some of the research, expertise, and experiences of those working to address climate adaptation and actions to support agriculture in our region.
This report details the findings from the Capacity Discovery project, an online survey implemented in spring 2015 that documented the current and future capacity of land-grant universities in the Northeast to address climate change research and Extension work in the agriculture, natural resources, and forestry sectors.
Summer cover crops traditionally have not been used in Rhode Island because of the short summer fallow period. However, a changing climate is creating new opportunities for summer cover crops. As the fall season becomes milder, fall cash crops are now being planted as late as the end of September. This creates an increasing gap period between the harvesting of early summer crops and the planting...
The USDA Northeast Climate Hub partnered with University of Delaware, and other USDA and land grant collaborators to create a virtual network of climate-informed farm and forest demonstration sites called, 'As If You Were There.' Visit a small-scale agroforestry system in the Yale-Myers forest and learn how this diverse orchard is being managed to address pests, weeds, drought, and erosion.
The USDA Northeast Climate Hub partnered with University of Delaware, and other USDA and land grant collaborators to create a virtual network of climate-informed farm and forest demonstration sites called, 'As If You Were There.' University of New Hampshire researchers are looking at ways growers might adapt to and take advantage of current and expected climate conditions from managing insect...
Changes in climate and extreme weather are already increasing challenges for agriculture nationally and globally, and many of these impacts will continue into the future. This technical bulletin contains information and resources designed to help agricultural producers, service providers, and educators in the Midwest and Northeast regions of the United States integrate climate change...
Farmer, Pooh Sprague, of Edgewater Farm in New Hampshire has also come to rely on high tunnels and other strategies for protected growing of the farm's key crops. He notes the importance of practices that build the soil's health and resiliency. "Everything I do is to ameliorate the damage I do by tilling," he says.
In Vermont, at Intervale Community Farm, farmers are using green manure and cover crops, and seeding density to build soil fertility and increase resiliency. In their 27 years of operation, they've learned to adapt to periodic floods from the Winooski River by careful decisions about where their short-rotation and long-season crops are placed. Farmer Andy Jones says that, even in the flood plain...
On Upinngil Farm in Massachusetts they're growing strawberries and grapes and grazing livestock, using grass-based milk sales to provide income stability. High tunnels have provided both season extension and climate control. Farmer Clifford Hatch says, "We are working to manage the risks of this resource in the best possible way."
The USDA Northeast Climate Hub partnered with University of Delaware, and other USDA and land grant collaborators to create a virtual network of climate-informed farm and forest demonstration sites called, 'As If You Were There.' Visit Angus Glen Farms, a 300 acre operation located in Watkins Glen, New York using agroforestry practices. The farm has 80 cow-calf pairs of Angus cattle grown for...
How does the changing climate impact dairy operations, and what can dairy farmers do to adapt?
The USDA Northeast Climate Hub partnered with University of Delaware, and other USDA and land grant collaborators to create a virtual network of climate-informed farm and forest demonstration sites called, 'As If You Were There.' Visit with the researchers at West Virginia University who are working with McConnell’s Berry Farm to study the impacts of increasing temperatures on blueberry...
The USDA Northeast Climate Hub partnered with University of Delaware, and other USDA and land grant collaborators to create a virtual network of climate-informed farm and forest demonstration sites called, 'As If You Were There.' University of Rhode Island is conducting research and outreach on high tunnel production and summer cover crops to help farmers tackle both the risks and opportunities...
This tool shows visual comparisons of the projected number of growing days in a year between the historical baseline (1961-1990) and the projected future (2020-2090) under either low or high emission scenarios.
This is an information center with access to applicable policies, management practices, adaptation resources, etc. related to climate change and agriculture.
This tool shows visual comparisons of the projected number of dry days in a year between 2020 and 2090 compared to the period between 1961 - 1990.
This is a collection of tools, resources, publications, etc that help farmers in Maine adapt to the effects of climate change.
Provides benefits to livestock producers for livestock deaths in excess of normal mortality caused by adverse weather or by attacks by animals reintroduced into the wild by the federal government - payments are equal to 75% of the average fair market value of the livestock.
This is a checklist intended to help coastal Maine community members identify and adapt to flood risks.
This tool tracks the emergence and aids in the management the Emerald Ash Borer (Agrilus Planipennis), an invasive insect for ash trees.
Serves as a gateway to invasive species information from federal, state, local, and international sources.
Delivers science-based information, genetic resources, and technologies for increased crop productivity, economically and environmentally sustainable methods of crop production, and protection from plant diseases and pests.
Visualization of average daily minimum winter temperature and comparisons between historical record (1961-1990) and the projected future (2020-2090) under either high or low.emissions scenarios
This tool consists of a movable panorama of multiple farms in the Northeast. It also includes links to videos and text resources on specific practices.
This hour-long free webinar is about the impacts of climate change on maple syrup production and how maple producers can best adapt.
This NRCS site helps farmers plan their conservation / climate adaptation practices based on the specific issue / region / crop / livestock they have.
This site provides state specific information drought management and planning in Maine.
This tool allows individuals to visualize community level impacts from coastal flooding or sea level rise. It includes data related to water depth, connectivity, flood frequency, socio-economic vulnerability, wetland loss and migration, and mapping confidence.
This is an hour-long free webinar about the varying invasive species growers might come into contact with in the face of climate change as well as how to deal with them in the most efficient manner.
This is an hour-long free webinar on assessment and management recommendations for climate adaptation in the Connecticut River Watershed.
This is a service that allows people to borrow books and other educational materials from the national agricultural library.
This service helps landowners make smart, sustainable decisions about their land through the promotion and protection of wetlands, forests, farms, endangered species habitats, and other open spaces.
This tool aids farmers in decision making on their farm or ranch based off climate data.
Provides financial assistance to eligible livestock producers who have suffered grazing losses for covered livestock on native land.
This informative document explains the ways in which farmers can adapt to climate change, the potential current and future impacts of climate change on their farm, and how adapting will help them.
The National Climate Assessment summarizes the impacts of climate change on the United States, now and in the future.
This USDA website provides forecasts for heat stress on cattle to inform livestock managers on when preventative action should be taken to protect their animals.
This tool shows visualizations of average daily maximum Summer temperature and comparisons between the historical record and the projected future in specific areas.
Service that allows people to answer any question to an agricultural librarian. They can attach a file, picture, etc. to give their question context.
This briefing explains the impacts of climate change on agriculture, suggests adaptation strategies and how to implement them on one's farm, and provides examples of adaptation strategies in real-world sitatuions.
This resource shows a GIS map of changes in the minimum annual rate of water carried by rivers and streams across the country based on the long-term rate of change from 1940-2016.
The National Climate Assessment summarizes the impacts of climate change on the United States, now and in the future.
Three successful organic farmers in Vermont, Massachusetts, and New Hampshire are adapting their farming practices to climate change. Each farmer discusses how they’re experiencing and adapting to climate change. They discuss how cropping strategies, water management, and soil protection practices have increased their resilience to climate impacts and helped them continue to farm successfully.
This fact sheet presents an overview of the most common components and options in drip irrigation systems, accompanied by estimated costs.