Farming In Extreme Weather

The climate is changing, and that’s causing weather patterns to shift dramatically all around the world. Increasing heat waves are putting stress on agriculture in the Midwest, while the Gulf Coast and Florida have seen an inundation of hurricanes. Meanwhile, forest fires fed by windstorms are burning all up and down the West Coast. Knowing what’s predicted for your neck of the woods is key to staying ahead of the challenges of climate change. Here are our tips.

Colder Winters

You already know that farming in winter can be tricky, and it requires some serious investments in weather-specific tools and equipment, along with practices to keep your livestock warm and your crops protected from freeze. If you’re in an area that is predicted to begin experiencing harsher and colder winters, then you’ll need to redouble your efforts in those areas. 

However, remember that cold and snow can also be good for your fields and that a regular cold cycle is necessary to keep your soil healthy. Snow can provide an insulating layer for your soil that can protect it from extreme cold. Without an insulating layer of snow, any germinating seedlings or crops can be severely damaged when the temperature drops.

Hotter Summers

As the climate changes, many areas, including the Midwest, are going to be seeing hotter, drier summers. This more extreme weather will create new and increasing challenges to keep your crops protected and profitable. Hotter summers can also see increases in flooding and drought cycles, which can wreak havoc on an unprotected farm. 

Of course, the ways that a hotter summer affects your particular farm will depend a lot on what you’re growing and the health of your soil. Stay vigilant in keeping best practices active on the regular, and your crops should come through the summer in good shape. You might, for example, have to adjust the amount of weed killer or water on your crops based on just what the weather actually does.

Reducing Impact

Hot weather, cold weather, droughts, floods, hailstorms, tornadoes - all of these extreme weather events will become more frequent in coming years. The best thing we can do is reduce carbon emissions to mitigate the effects of climate change. 

As a farmer, you can do your part: consider buying electric equipment if available, investing in solar power, or practicing power and water conservation on your farms. The other best thing you can do is to be prepared - know what the climate has in store for your farm, and know how to adapt your practices to best meet the challenge of climate change. 

When you’re ready to buy new or used farm equipment in the Midwest, visit one of our numerous dealership locations to see what we have available. Ziegler AG is proud to serve our customers in the metro areas of Minneapolis, MN, Des Moines, IA, and Madison, WI.