Assessing the Impacts of Climate Change on Midwest Agriculture

How has my state's climate changed over the last few decades?

In what ways are these changes affecting agricultural operations and production?

How can farms adapt to climate change that's already occurring and the changes that are expected in the future?

The Midwest Climate Hub, the Great Lakes Integrated Sciences and Assessments, the Northern Forests Climate Hub, and the Northern Institute of Applied Climate Science have partnered with an array of Midwest organizations to develop agricultural vulnerability assessments for each state in the region. These assessments, alongside additional state resources, are available below. Each state assessment presents:

• historical climate change that occurred from 1979 to 2021
• projected changes under future greenhouse gas emissions scenarios
• the impacts of these changes (both historical and projected) on agricultural operations
• considerations for adapting agricultural operations to these impacts

The climate metrics presented in these assessments include temperature, precipitation, humidity, and their extremes. Download the assessments below and access accompanying state resources and information.

The methods associated with these assessments are described here.

Illinois

Partners

• GLISA, the Great Lakes CAP/RISA team
• Northern Forests Climate Hub
• Northern Institute of Applied Climate Science
• USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service

Additional Resources from Illinois

Report: An Assessment of the Impacts of Climate Change in Illinois (2021)

• This assessment was led by The Nature Conservancy in Illinois and explores the impacts of climate change on water resources, agriculture, public health, and ecosystems.

Extension Guide: The Illinois Agronomy Handbook (Updated 2021)

• Chapter 1: Weather, Climate, and Agriculture

Web Resource: University of Illinois Extension Page for Weather and Climate

Indiana

Partners

• Purdue Extension
• GLISA, the Great Lakes CAP/RISA team
• Northern Institute of Applied Climate Science
• Northern Forests Climate Hub
• Ohio State University
• Michigan State University

Additional Resources from Indiana

Extension Program: Farming 4 a Better Climate

Report: Indiana Climate Change Impacts Assessment (2018)

Podcast: Conservation Cropping Systems Initiative Soil Health Podcast

Indiana State Climate Office

Purdue Extension Entomology – Fruit

Purdue Extension Entomology - Vegetables

Midwest Vegetable Guide

Purdue 4-H – Youth & Entomology

Iowa

Partners

• Iowa State University
• Iowa Department of Agriculture & Land Stewardship
• Iowa Beef Center
• GLISA, the Great Lakes CAP/RISA team
• Northern Institute of Applied Climate Science
• Northern Forests Climate Hub
• Ohio State University
• Michigan State University

Additional Resources from Iowa

Report: Carbon Science for Carbon Markets (2022)

Webpage: Severe weather preparedness (2017)

Report: Severe Weather Tips for Farmers (2017)

Iowa Drought Plan (2023)

Iowa Flood Center's Iowa Flood Information System

• Access data and maps here

Climate and corn-soybean systems (2017)

• VOLUME 1
• VOLUME 2

Report: Climate, weather and grapes (2017)

Report: Climate, weather and apples (2017)

Fact Sheet: Climate and climate change (2012)

Michigan

Partners

• Michigan State University
• GLISA, the Great Lakes CAP/RISA team
• Northern Institute of Applied Climate Science
• Northern Forests Climate Hub
• Ohio State University 

Additional Resources from Michigan

Michigan State University

• ClimateReady Farms
• Enviroweather
• Ag Weather Forecast
• Growing Degree Day (GDD) Tracking Tool
• EnviroImpact Tool
• Irrigation Scheduling Tools
• Farm Stress Website
• Michigan Soil Health Progress Report

US Drought Monitor - Michigan Maps

GLISA, the Great Lakes CAP/RISA Team

Midwestern Regional Climate Center

• Ag-Climate Tools
• Freeze Date Tool

Minnesota

Partners

• University of Minnesota Climate Adaptation Partnership
• GLISA, the Great Lakes CAP/RISA team
• Northern Institute of Applied Climate Science
• Northern Forests Climate Hub
• Ohio State University 
• Michigan State University

Additional Resources from Minnesota

Minnesota CliMAT - Climate Mapping and Analysis Tool

Agricultural and Horticultural Decision Support Tools for Minnesota

Minnesota's Climate Action Framework

• Explore the Action Framework documents here

Minnesota Forest Ecosystem Vulnerability Assessment

• Minnesota forest ecosystem vulnerability assessment and synthesis: a report from the Northwoods Climate Change Response Framework project (2014)

Climate Change Field Guide for Forest Adaptation

• Climate Change Field Guide for Northern Minnesota Forests (2017)

Wisconsin State Climatology Office

Missouri

Partners

• Missouri Climate Center
• University of Missouri Extension
• Ohio State University 
• Michigan State University
• GLISA, the Great Lakes CAP/RISA team
• Northern Forests Climate Hub
• Northern Institute of Applied Climate Science

Additional Resources from Missouri

Missouri Climate Center

University of Missouri Extension

• Agriculture and Environment Programs
• Drought Resources Program
• Irrigation Program
• High Tunnel Production Guide for Tomatoes
• High Tunnel Production Guide for Melons
• Mulches Factsheet

Missouri Frost/Freeze Probabilities Guide

Horizon Point - Explore your local weather stations

Ohio

Partners

• Ohio State University 
• Michigan State University
• GLISA, the Great Lakes CAP/RISA team
• Northern Forests Climate Hub
• Northern Institute of Applied Climate Science

Additional Resources from Ohio

The Ohio State University Extension Agronomic Crops Network 

• This network provides weather and climate information via weekly or bi-weekly articles, as well as webinars on weather and climate impacts, including interactions with agronomic and specialty crops, diseases, pests, farm management and finances. It also holds workshops and conferences that bring together researchers and engagement professionals to discuss climate interactions on a variety of topics. 

Central State University's climate-smart agriculture initiatives

The State Climate Office of Ohio and the Byrd Polar and Climate Research Center 

• These partners offer climate data and information, climate education on global to local scales, and a number of climate resources including recent maps, monthly and quarterly summaries, tools for improved application decisions, and other adaptation and mitigation information. 

The Nature Conservancy of Ohio 

The Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) in Ohio 

• NRCS provides information on the growing number of programs that support Ohio farmers and landowners through financial and technical assistance.

Wisconsin

Partners

• University of Wisconsin-Madison 
• Clean Wisconsin
• Ohio State University 
• Michigan State University
• GLISA, the Great Lakes CAP/RISA team
• Northern Forests Climate Hub
• Northern Institute of Applied Climate Science

Additional Resources from Wisconsin

Wisconsin Initiative on Climate Change Impacts Agriculture Working Group

• Report: Improving climate change mitigation and resiliency across Wisconsin’s agriculture industry (2021)

Climate Change Field Guides for Forest Adaptation

• Climate Change Field Guide for Southern Wisconsin Forests (2021)
• Climate Change Field Guide for Northern Wisconsin Forests (2020)

Wisconsin State Climatology Office

Kentucky's State-Level Assessment is Coming Soon

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