The Workshop consisted of 114 participants from IA, KS, MI, MO, MN, NE, NC, and Washington D.C. These participants included university researchers and state and federal agency personnel.
View the Participants List.
View the Conference Agenda.
View the Speaker Biographys.
Conference Presentations:
Opening: Agricultural Decision Making with a Water and Climate Change
– Charles Wortmann, University of Nebraska-Lincoln
Summary: Climate change and climate variability are not new.
Disagreement centers on how real it is and how accurate are the
predictions, and inflexibility of views have politicized the issue and
resulted in non-decision making. While there is little certainty in life,
we still deal with probabilities in aspects of our lives, so the questions
are do we need to be certain about climate changes to do
something? What probability do we need to justify mitigation? And
are we thinking out future generations?
Climate Change Science: A Basis for Agricultural Decision-Making – Gene Takle,
Iowa State University Coming Soon - Video Presentation
Summary: Climate trends of the recent past have low statistical
significance. Nevertheless, they have forced significant adaptation for
Iowa farmers and communities. Future challenges to adaptation in the
Midwest are wetter spring and early summer, more frequent and
higher intensity extreme rain events, higher daily average temperatures,
increased humidity, drought in the west or south spilling into the
Midwest. Sustaining agricultural production without depleting natural
resources will become increasingly difficult.
Farmer Perspectives on Climate Change and Agriculture – J. Gordon Arbuckle Jr.,
Iowa State University Video Presentation
Summary: About half of the farmers responding to the 2011 Iowa
Farm Poll were concerned about the impacts of climate changer on
Iowa agriculture, and a third were concerned with the impact on their
own operation; a majority thinks that preparation is necessary.
Responding farmers were most likely to trust Extension, scientists, the
farm press and weather reporters. And those who believe that
climate change is occurring and caused by humans were more
concerned and supportive of action than those who believe climate
change is natural or are undecided; the latter are also larger scale
farmers who control more acres.
National and Regional Climate Partnerships, Networks and Services – Doug Kluck
and Eileen Shea, National Oceanic Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)
Summary: What does it mean to adapt to climate changes? Responsible risk management, actions that reduce vulnerability and enhance preparedness, and common sense planning.
Missouri River Ecosystem Restoration Plan – Neil Bass, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE)
Summary: The Missouri River is the longest river -- and one of the most regulated -- and the basin is the largest in the U.S. An overview of the project background, current project efforts and next steps.
Management Options to Reduce Soil Nitrous Oxide Emissions – Peter Motavalli,
University of Missouri (Dr. Kelly A. Nelson, MU, Co-Author)
Summary: Although agriculture accounts for approximately 7% of total U.S. greenhouse gas emissions, ag is the source of 79% of nitrous oxide. Nitrous oxide is important because of its potential in global warming. Some factors of denitrification are controllable, some are uncontrollable. The challenge of N management is to be prepared for these factors. The general rule is that best management practices that increase N use efficiency will reduce soil N2O emissions.
Soil Carbon Loss Contributes to Greenhouse Gas Emissions from Cellulosic Ethanol –
Adam Liska, University of Nebraska-Lincoln
Climate Change Impact of Crop Performance and Soil and Water – Scott Staggenborg,
Kansas State University
Summary: Looking at Kansas, projections of climate change indicate
that along with changes in precipitation the variability in frequency and
amount will increase. It’s predicted that the region will see more
intense storms that have the potential to cause more damage to
property and natural resources. Agricultural production in the
Ogallala region would be highly susceptible to the future climates and
requires appropriate mitigation/adaption strategies.
Climate Change Impact of Crop Performance and Soil and Water – Rick Cruse,
Iowa State University
Summary: Climate change outside the Heartland Regional Water
Coordination Initiative will create added production stress on regional
soil and water resources.
Product Development for Adverse Conditions – Jim Gaffney, Pioneer Hybrid
International, Inc. Video Interview 1 and Interview 2
Summary: Looking at “feeding people,” Pioneer sees these trends:
reducing fuel use and keeping people and the environment safe.
Water is a limiting factor in crops, and if drought is to have an impact
they must look at two periods of corn development, silking and
grainfill.
Beef Cattle Environmental Footprint – Terry Mader, University of Nebraska-Lincoln
Summary: Some misconceptions about beef cattle environmental
impact: Water requirements of livestock are generally overestimated
to insure adequate supply; technology plays a large role in reducing
water and carbon footprint; world-wide, fiber production is a large
part of most agriculturally oriented ecosystems; methane-producing
organisms are the most efficient at degrading and needed to rid the
planet of biomass; and the alternative is to burn the fiber or the
methane as fuel.
The Myths and Misperceptions Relating to Livestock's Environmental – Jude Capper,
Washington State University
Summary: While world beef, pork and poultry consumption has increased dramatically 1980-200, the global livestock industry is under threat on many fronts. Removing technology from beef production increases resource use, increases economic cost of production, and increases global carbon footprint. Cappers conclusions are that every production system has its niche, the beef industry must demonstrate dedication to reducing its carbon footprint to maintain its social license, productivity is a key factor in reducing the carbon footprint, and the environmental impact must be assessed using sound science.
Case Study: Climate Change Impacts on Streamflow, Water Quality, and BMPs for the Shell
and Logan Creek Watersheds in Nebraska – Michael Van Liew, University of Nebraska-
Lincoln
Summary: The study objective was to look at two watersheds, Logan Creek near Columbus and Shell Creek near Sioux City, in northeast Nebraska with similar drainage areas (approximately 780 square kilometers each), using three models to look at the effects of climate change. Conclusions were that there are notable differences between the two watersheds, especially in May and June; and substantial increases in sediment, total nitrogen and total phosphorus.
Case Study: Climate Change Impacts on Water Storage, Availability and Agricultural
Sustainability in Northeast Missouri – Claire Baffaut, USDA-ARS
Summary: To investigate the impacts of climate change on water availability and agriculture sustainability in northeast Missouri, they looked at Miami Creek watershed which is similar to Goodwater Creek. Miami Creek water’s current weather characteristics are close to what is expected to occur in the near future (10 years) in northeast Missouri – increased precipitation, especially in the spring and summer, and higher temperatures.
Climate Change Mitigation Policies - Carrots, Sticks or Persuasion? – Richard Perrin,
University of Nebraska-Lincoln
Summary: Climate change mitigation policies can impact practices, but more likely will be on economics. Climate change is driven by wealth: Energy is required to build wealth, wealth is necessary to buy energy. There is a social cost with business as usual regarding greenhouse gas, and estimates range from 1 up to 20 percent of GDP. Mitigation costs are around 2 percent. Why don’t we mitigate? The earth’s atmosphere is a public good, which present a social problem – the market cannot provide socially appropriate solutions and everyone has the incentive to free ride. The only remaining options are collective action – taxes, subsidies, GHG caps or mandates.
Ned Gardiner, NOAA - Presented the Geodome - Video Interview
An Overview of Climate Services and Research at the High Plains Regional Climate Center – Martha Shulski, University of Nebraska-Lincoln
Summary: The High Plains Regional Climate Center is one of six regional centers and serves Nebraska, North and South Dakota, Kansas, Colorado and Wyoming.
EPA National Water Program: Response to Climate Change – David Bylsma, U.S. EPA Headquarters
Summary: An overview of EPA Office of Water Legislative Masndates, impacts of climate change onb water resources and introduction to the draft 2012 NWP Climate Strategy.
USDA-NIFA 2011 Global Change and Climate funded projects:
New Tools for Carbon, Nitrogen, and Greenhouse Gas Accounting and Management in Corn Cropping Systems – David Wolfe, Project Director, Cornell University
"To provide small to large-scale corn growers with low cost soil C assessment and GHG accounting tools...."
Useful to Usable (U2U): Transforming Climate Variability and Change Information for Cereal Crop Producers – Linda Prokopy, Project Director, Purdue University
"Transforming climate variability and change information for cereal crop producers."
National Facilitation of Extension Programming in Climate Change Mitigation and Adaptation for Animal Agriculture – Rick Stowell, Project Director, University of Nebraska-Lincoln
"Various efforts within the Livestock and Poultry Environmental Learning Center (LPELC) came together during 2010 in the form of a 'Carbon Footprint' project." Funding approved in 2011.
Climate Change, Mitigation, & Adaptation in Corn-based Cropping Systems – Lois Wright Morton, Project Director, Iowa State University
"Our vision is to create a region-wide coordinated functional network to develop science-based knowledge that addresses climate mitigation and adaption, informs policy development and guides on-farm, watershed-level and public decision making in corn-based systems."
Conference Summation and Strategies for Moving Forward – Rick Koelsch, University of Nebraska